Pavement repair system

ABSTRACT

A pavement repair system is provided utilizing solid phase auto regenerative cohesion and homogenization by liquid asphalt oligopolymerization technologies. The system is suitable for use in repairing asphalt pavement, including pavement exhibiting a high degree of deterioration (as manifested in the presence of potholes, cracks, ruts, or the like) as well as pavement that has been subject to previous repair and may comprise a substantial amount of dirt and other debris (e.g., chipped road paint or other damaged or disturbed surfacing materials). A system utilizing homogenization by liquid asphalt oligopolymerization is suitable for rejuvenating or repairing aged asphalt, thereby improving properties of the paving material.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Any and all priority claims identified in the Application Data Sheet, orany correction thereto, are hereby incorporated by reference under 37CFR 1.57. This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.No. 16/442,320, filed Jun. 14, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/490,434, filed Apr. 18, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,364,534, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/428,088, filed Feb. 8, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,637,870, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/363,858, filed Nov. 29,2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,624,625, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/148,998, filed May 6, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No.9,551,114, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/702,610, filed May 1, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,347,187, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/373,889, filed Jul. 22,2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,163, which is the national phase under 35U.S.C. § 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/US2014/026755,filed Mar. 13, 2014, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/842,640 filed Mar. 15, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,992,118,and which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/799,515 filed Mar. 15, 2013, U.S. Provisional Application No.61/799,576 filed Mar. 15, 2013, U.S. Provisional Application No.61/798,090 filed Mar. 15, 2013, U.S. Provisional Application No.61/794,751 filed Mar. 15, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No.61/798,469 filed Mar. 15, 2013. Each of the aforementioned applicationsis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and each is herebyexpressly made a part of this specification.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A pavement repair system is provided utilizing solid phase autoregenerative cohesion and homogenization by liquid asphaltoligopolymerization technologies. The system is suitable for use inrepairing asphalt pavement, including pavement exhibiting a high degreeof deterioration (as manifested in the presence of potholes, cracks,ruts, or the like) as well as pavement that has been subject to previousrepair and may comprise a substantial amount of dirt and other debris(e.g., chipped road paint or other damaged or disturbed surfacingmaterials). A system utilizing homogenization by liquid asphaltoligopolymerization is suitable for rejuvenating or repairing agedasphalt, thereby improving properties of the paving material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Repair and maintenance of the civil infrastructure, including roads andhighways of the United States present great technical and financialchallenges. The American Association of State Highway TransportationOfficials (AASHTO) issued a bottom line report in 2010 stating that $160billion a year must be spent to maintain infrastructure; however, onlyabout $80 billion is being spent. The result is a rapidly failinginfrastructure. New methods of maintaining existing roads and newmethods of constructing roads that would extend the useful life for thesame budget dollar are needed to meet the challenges of addressing ourfailing infrastructure.

In the United States alone there are approximately 4.4 million centerlane miles of asphalt concrete, with a center lane comprising a 24 footwide pavement surface having a lane in each direction. Asphalt concretepaving surfaces are typically prepared by heating aggregate to 400° F.,and applying liquid asphalt (e.g., by spraying into a pug mill or drumcoating) to yield a mixture of 95% aggregate and 5% asphalt. If atemperature of approximately 350° F. is maintained for the mixture, itis considered hot mix asphalt and does not stick to itself as long asthe temperature is maintained. The hot mix asphalt is typically placedin a transfer truck, which hauls it to the job site, where it is placedon either a gravel road base or onto an old road surface that has beenpreviously primed. A paving apparatus receives the hot mix asphalt fromthe transfer truck and spreads it out uniformly across the base surface,and as the material progressively cools below 250° F. degrees it iscompacted with a roller. The hot mix asphalt is rolled to a uniformdensity, and after approximately one to three days of cooling and agingthe surface can be opened to traffic.

After such asphalt pavement has been in place for several years, thepavement progressively ages. Water works its way into the pavement. Itbegins to lose its integrity on the surface, causing aggregate at thesurface of the pavement to be lost. The pavement surface roughens asaggregate is lost, and cracks begin to form. Conventional pavementrepair techniques at this stage in the deterioration process include:pouring hot rubber asphalt into the cracks, using cold patch (a cold mixasphalt that can be applied to a damaged road surface, e.g., placed in apothole, under ambient temperature conditions using hand tools). Anothertechnique for repairing pavement exhibiting minimal damage involvesapplication of a liquid asphalt emulsion to the pavement surface so asto provide a degree of waterproofing to slow the aging process, or, forsurfaces exhibiting more deterioration, application of a thin layer of aslurry of aggregate and asphalt emulsion over the top of the pavement.

Preparing and installing hot asphalt pavement involves running aggregatethrough a heat tube (typically at around 400° F.) where moisture isdriven off to prevent boil over when the rock contacts molten asphalt.The aggregate is added to asphalt, optionally containing a rubberpolymer. The aggregate is sent through a mill having high velocity tinesthat rolls the aggregate through a spray of asphalt. The resultingmixture of aggregate with baked-on asphalt typically comprises 95%aggregate and 5% asphalt (optionally with rubber polymer). The mixtureexits the mill at about 350° F. and is transported into waiting trucks(e.g., a belly dump truck) which are driven to the job site. Newpavement is laid down over an earthen base covered with gravel that hasbeen graded and compacted. Typically, the new road is not laid in asingle pass. Instead, a first 2-3 inch lift of loose hot asphalt is laiddown and partially compacted, and then a second lift is laid over thefirst and compacted. The temperature of the asphalt concrete pavement atthis stage is typically about 140° F. Additional lifts can be added asdesired, e.g., to a depth of approximately 12 inches, depending upon theexpected usage conditions for the road (heavy or light transportation,the velocity of traffic, desired lifetime). Primer or additionalmaterial is typically not put between layers of lift in newconstruction, as the fresh pavement exhibits good adherence to itself innew construction. New construction design typically never requires anyprimer or additional material between the subsequent lifts.

After approximately fifteen years of exposure to the elements, itbecomes cost prohibitive to attempt to maintain asphalt pavement viaconventional cold patching, waterproofing, and slurry techniques. Theconventional approach at this stage in the deterioration of the pavementtypically involves priming the damages surface and applying a layer ofhot mix asphalt. For pavement too deteriorated for application primingand application of a layer of hot mix asphalt, a cold-in-place recyclingprocess can be employed. In cold-in-place recycling, typically thetopmost 2 to 5 inches of the damaged road surface is pulverized down toa specific aggregate size and mixed with an asphalt emulsion, and thenre-installed to pave the same road from which the old paving materialhas been removed.

Existing pavement (asphalt or concrete) is typically repaired by use ofan overlay, e.g., a mixture of aggregate and asphalt such as describedabove for new road construction. In the case of repaving over the top ofrigid concrete, some type of primer is typically applied, e.g., as aspray resulting in application of approximately 10 gallons of primer per1,000 square feet of pavement. The primer can be an asphalt emulsionthat provides a tacky surface for the new overlay. A single layer ofoverlay can be applied, or multiple layers, typically two or more.

Cracks and stresses in a repaired underlying road bed will quicklyimprint themselves on new overlays of paving material, due to themalleability of the new asphalt under rolling loads. As the underlyingroad bed undergoes expansion and contraction under ambient condition,cracks can be telegraphed up through as much as three inches ofoverlying asphalt. A conventional method for achieving some resistanceto the telegraphing of old defects in the underlying road bed is to putdown a hot tack coat of asphalt, lay a polypropylene mat (similar inappearance to spun-bond polypropylene, typically ¼-½ inches inthickness, available as Petromat® from Nilex, Inc. of Centennial, Colo.)over the hot tack coat of asphalt, followed by a layer of new hotasphalt concrete which is then compacted over the existing surface. Thiswill inhibit the rate of telegraphing of cracks to a limited extent,such that instead of taking place from 6 months to 2 years after repair,the cracks do not telegraph for from to 1 year to 3 years after repair.This telegraphing phenomenon by the defects in an existing aged roadbedmanifest surface defects in a new pavement overlay about three timessooner than is common to a fresh asphalt concrete pavement placed on acompacted earthen and gravel base; as is the practice in newconstruction.

Deterioration mechanisms of new highways have been investigated over a20 year life cycle. Overlays are typically applied between the twelfthand fifteenth year. Typically, no significant deterioration is observedover the first five years of a well-built highway. Within the first fiveyears, cracks or potholes typically do not appear unless there is acutedamage to the pavement, or loose material underneath the pavement. Afterthe first five years, physical symptoms of deterioration are observed,including lateral and longitudinal cracks due to shrinkage of thepavement mass through the loss of binder and embrittlement of theasphalt. Cracks ultimately result in creation of a pothole. Raveling isa mechanism wherein the effects of exposure to water and sun break downthe adhesion between the rock on the top surface of the pavement and theunderlying aggregate, such that small and then larger rock is releasedfrom the pavement. A stress fracture is where the pavement, for onereason or another, may not have been thick enough to withstand exposureto an extremely heavy load, moisture, or poor compaction underneath.When combined with shrinkage of the asphalt itself as it goes throughheating and cooling cycles, and application of oxidative stress, stressfractures can also result. Stress fractures are characterized byextending in different directions (unlike the lateral or longitudinalcracking as described above).

The macro-texture of a pavement refers to the visible roughness of thepavement surface as a whole. The primary function of the macro-textureis to help maintain adequate skid resistance to vehicles travelling athigh speeds. It also provides paths for water to escape which helps toprevent wheels of motor vehicles from hydroplaning. This optionally maybe accomplished through cutting or forming grooves in existing or newpavements. Micro-textures refer to the roughness of the surface of theindividual stones within the asphalt concrete pavement. It is the finetexture that occurs on chippings and other exposed parts of thesurfacing. For concrete pavement this is usually the sand and fineaggregates present at the surface layer and for asphalt it is usuallyassociated with the type of aggregates used. Micro-texture createsfrictional properties for vehicles travelling at low speeds. The wetskid resistant nature of a road is dependent on the interaction of thetire and the combined macro-texture and micro-texture of the roadsurface.

Conventional repair of shallow surface fissures and raveling usesvarious methods. Re-saturants are materials that soften old asphalt.They are typically mixed with an emulsion and sprayed onto the surfaceof the old pavement. The material penetrates into the uppermost 20 or 30mils of the pavement and softens the asphalt, imparting flexibility.Thermally fluidized hot asphalt can also be sprayed directly onto thesurface, which hardens and provides waterproofing. A fog seal istypically sprayed on the surface, and can be provided with a sandblotter to improve the friction coefficient. In a chip seal, arubberized emulsion can also be sprayed onto the aged pavement, and thenstone is broadcast into the rubberized emulsion which then hardens,bonding the stone. Slurry seal employs a cold aggregate/asphalt mixtureprepared in a pug mill and placed on the aged pavement surface, but isapplied in a much thinner layer, e.g., 0.25-0.75 inches. Once thepavement surface is repaired, any safety markings can be repainted.

The Federal Highway Administration, through the National Academy ofSciences, has done research into pavement durability. A 20-yearlong-term paving program (LTPP) was initiated in 1984 in an attempt tounderstand the failure mechanisms of paving. At the end of the 20-yearprogram and after five years of data analysis, better ways have beendeveloped for measuring pavement failure, the most noteworthy being theStrategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) grading system. The SHRPsystem can be used to determine the physical qualities of an asphaltproduct and its potential for long-term service. Subsequently,mechanical testing was developed to determine when the ductility andflexibility of the pavement was diminished, which correlates with end ofits useful life as well as the chemical changes in the asphalt itselfover time were studied. The presence of carbonyl groups and sulfoxidesthat are generated over the life of the pavement cross-section wasdiscovered to be associated with asphalt embrittlement. This discoverynow enables prediction of useful life. Accelerated weathering chambersalso can be employed to determine the rate of formation of thesetelltale carbonyl groups and sulfoxides in a new binder system,binder/aggregate combination, or other paving material therebypredicting an expected useful life. In terms of the chemistry ofdeterioration, study data indicate that asphalt pavement fails becauseit becomes brittle. Embrittlement leads to mass loss, which leads toshrinkage, which produces cracks. Cracks become potholes, the pavementstops flexing, and aggregate becomes dislodged.

Deterioration of asphalt binder is generally associated with asphaltbeyond the first 100 microns covering the rock surface. An asphalt layeron aggregate at depths within 100 microns of the asphalt/rock interfacewas found by the 20 year LTDP study to have not experienced the presenceof sulfoxides and carbonyl groups that are associated withembrittlement. Therefore the properties of that asphalt were similar tothose of virgin asphalt initially placed on the rock. While not wishingto be bound by theory, it is believed that the tight bond of the asphaltwithin the first 100 microns of the rock surface exhibited a high degreeof intimacy. This intimacy inhibits the movement of scavenging oxidizersinto the asphalt structure, thereby minimizing deterioration.Accordingly, it is believed that in an aged paving material averaging95% aggregate and 5% asphalt, a 100 micron layer of good asphaltsurrounds each aggregate particle, with embrittled asphalt in between.It is this “embrittlement zone” where ductility is lost and failuretakes place. Air gaps in the cross-section of the pavement can allowwater and air to gain access to the asphalt rock interface. Over aperiod of time, the asphalt goes from being flexible to becomingbrittle. The chemistries associated with the embrittlement are relatedto the formation of sulfoxide or hydroxyl groups, and typically there isa loss of a hydrogen atom on the carbon (oxidation) which causes the keymolecular structures to become shorter, thereby less flexible. Once thathappens, the pavement becomes inflexible, cracks open up, the pavementloses mass, and rolling loads break up the pavement, causing cracking,potholes, running, ravelling, and block cracking, each resulting in aloss of the pavement integrity.

The conventional methods for repair of surface defects inclusive ofrejuvenators and fog seals typically do not exhibit a desirablelifespan. The most durable conventional repair, a slurry seal or a chipseal, may last only 7 or 8 years. An analysis of pavement failuremechanisms provides an explanation for the poor lifespan observed fornew asphalt pavement and subsequent repairs. The primary factor is thatthe repairs do not remedy the underlying embrittlement of the asphaltbinder deep within the pavement cross-section. The embrittlement resultsfrom the scissioning of the polymer chains present in the asphalt underthe influence of free radicals associated principally with water. Waterpenetrates the pavement, and sunlight and traffic over the pavementsurface provides energy for reaction with oxygen and other pavementcomponents, yielding sulfoxide and carboxylate reaction products andreduced polymer chain length through reaction with the resulting freeradicals. Loss of polymeric molecular weight impacts the ability of thepavement to stretch and flex. A secondary failure mechanism is loss ofrock itself due to hydrolytic attack of the asphalt-rock interface.Rocks typically comprise metal oxides (e.g., calcium oxide, silicondioxide, lithium oxide, potassium oxide, sodium oxide). Hydroxide groupscan form upon exposure to water, resulting in oxidative reactions thatimpair the adhesion of asphalt to the rock surface, a process referredto as stripping.

Loss of waterproofing typically is a top down mechanism. The asphaltbreaks down from exposure to heavy load and the sun, causing water topenetrate between the asphalt and rock. The asphalt can lose itshydrophobicity, with paraffinic components being broken down into morehydrophilic components, which in turn accelerate the process of wateradsorption. Raveling occurs, resulting in a loss of macrotexture.Ultimately, the microtexture of the surface is lost due to abrasion oftires across the surface rubbing off the asphalt and polishing the rocksurface, whereby the coefficient of friction drops to unacceptablelevels. Typically, a brand new pavement will have a coefficient offriction of between 0.6 and 0.7. Over time, loss of microtexture andultimately macrotexture results in the coefficient of friction droppingto below about 0.35, at which point the pavement becomes inherentlyunsafe in terms of steer resistance in the presence of water. Even if apavement surface does not have raveling or cracking, it can still beunsafe to drive on due to loss of adequate surface texture. Microtextureand macrotexture mechanisms function at different speeds. Typically, upto about 45 mph the microtexture controls stopping distance. Between 45and 50 the macrotexture begins to have a greater effect on stoppingdistance, and above 50 mph the macrotexture is the principal determiningfactor in stopping distance.

Accordingly, there are a variety of maintenance techniques that can beemployed on damaged asphalt pavement, some of them more successful thanothers in preserving and extending the useful life of the pavement. Itis known that for pavement that is timely and properly maintained, andrepaired in the early stages of deterioration, the typical useful lifecan be extended out to 19 or 20 years. However, in the current economicenvironment, the conventional approach to road maintenance is to fix themost often traveled pavement first, and then repair, as budgets allow,progressively the better pavement, such that a useful life closer to 12or 13 years is typically observed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method for repairing asphalt pavement, such as alligatored asphaltpavement, is desirable that is both inexpensive when compared toconventional techniques, while yielding a paving surface having anequally long or longer useful life when compared to asphalt pavementrepaired by conventional techniques. A method is also provided forrejuvenating aged asphalt so as to bring its paving properties closer tothat of virgin pavement.

A composition and method for repairing pavement, that exhibits animproved lifespan when compared to conventional methods is desirable.Such a composition can result in improved binding between the asphaltand rock. Such a composition can also impart improved resistance tomechanical stress and shearing (e.g., from rolling loads that operate atan angle of incidence). The compositions are configured to modulate thefailure mechanisms of the pavement, so as to impart improvedwaterproofing, maintenance of microtexture, maintenance of macrotexture,resistance to embrittlement, resistance to delamination, and resistanceto mechanical stress. These improved properties greatly extend thelifetime of the pavement beyond that which would be observed for aconventional new pavement or a conventional repair method on existingpavement.

In addition to pavement compositions, coatings and paints comprisingelastomers cured with terahertz radiation are also provided that exhibitsuperior properties of useful lifetime, durability, strength, andflexibility. Construction materials and coatings for use in bridges andbuilding foundations, and methods of making same are provided. Materialsconfigured to resist ballistic forces and methods of making same areprovided. Lightweight concrete blocks and other construction materials,and methods of making same are provided. Fire-resistant coatings andconstruction materials, and methods of making same are provided. Alsoprovided are binders and elastomers substantially as described herein,an emitter apparatus substantially as described herein, a system forrepairing pavement substantially as described herein, and relatedmethods.

In a generally applicable first aspect (i.e. independently combinablewith any of the aspects or embodiments identified herein), a method forrepairing asphalt, is provided comprising: passing an emitter over theasphalt, wherein the emitter radiates terahertz energy into the asphaltto a depth of at least 2 inches, wherein a temperature differentialthroughout a top two inches of asphalt is 100° F. or less, wherein ahighest temperature in the top two inches of asphalt does not exceed300° F., and wherein a minimum temperature in the top two inches ofasphalt is at least 200° F., whereby voids and interstices in theasphalt are disturbed without dehydrogenation of the asphalt, andwhereby oligomers present in the asphalt are linked together into longerpolymer chains, whereby ductility of the asphalt is improved.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt is in a form of asphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement is damaged asphalt pavement,and the method further comprises, before passing an emitter over theasphalt: preparing a surface of the damaged asphalt pavement comprisingaged asphalt by filling in deviations from a uniform surface plane withdry aggregate and compacting the dry aggregate; and applying a reactiveasphalt emulsion to the prepared surface, whereby the reactive emulsionpenetrates into cracks and crevices in the damaged asphalt pavement andinto areas filled with the dry aggregate, wherein the reactive asphaltemulsion comprises butyl rubber, a diene modified asphalt, and anenvironmentally hardened bioresin, and wherein the reactive asphaltemulsion contains less than 1% perflurocarbons as volatile components.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the method further comprises removing roadreflectors, thermoplastic imprinting, and safety devices by mechanicallyremoving prior to filling in deviations.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the reactive asphalt emulsion further comprises amedium to high molecular weight polyisobutylene.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the dry aggregate is pre-coated with an elastomericcomposition, and wherein the reactive asphalt emulsion is at leastpartially cured so as to yield dry, free-flowing coated asphalt.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), a temperature differential throughout a top twoinches of asphalt pavement is 50° F. or less.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from 1nm to 5 mm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from1-5 mm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from2-5 mm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement comprises granite rock and isfurther exposed to electromagnetic radiation that has a peak wavelengthof from 3000 to 5000 nm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement comprises sand and is furtherexposed to electromagnetic radiation that has a peak wavelength of 3000nm or from 5000 to 8000 nm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement comprises limestone and isfurther exposed to electromagnetic radiation that has a peak wavelengthof from 3000 to 4000 nm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement comprises maltene asphalt andis further exposed to electromagnetic radiation that has a peakwavelength of from 2000 to 8000 nm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement comprises asphaltene asphaltand is further exposed to electromagnetic radiation that has a peakwavelength of from 2000 to 4000 nm.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the emitter is a panel comprising a serpentine wireand a micaceous material through which energy generated by the emitterpasses, and wherein the emitter produces energy with a power density offrom 3 to 15 W/in².

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the oligomers possess 2-150 repeating units.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the method further comprises, after passing anemitter over the asphalt: allowing the pavement to cool to below 190°F.; and applying a compacting roller to the asphalt pavement to minimizevoids and surface irregularities, wherein the asphalt is at atemperature no lower than 150° F., whereby a density of the compactedasphalt pavement is similar to that of virgin asphalt pavement.

In a generally applicable second aspect (i.e. independently combinablewith any of the aspects or embodiments identified herein), an emittersystem is provided for repairing asphalt pavement, comprising: astructural frame; and one or more emitter panels situated within thestructural frame and pointing downward, wherein the metal frame isinsulated with a layer of a high-density ceramic, wherein each emitterpanel comprises a serpentine wire positioned between the high-densityceramic and a sheet of a micaceous material exhibiting biaxialbirefringence, wherein each emitter panels is configured such that, inuse, energy generated by each emitter panel passes through the sheet ofmicaceous material and impinges on an asphalt pavement, wherein eachemitter panel is configured to produce energy with a power density offrom 3 to 15 W/in².

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the structural frame is a metal frame comprising oneor more beams attached to one or more wheels, and wherein the structuralframe is configured to prevent bending, sagging, or twisting even whiletraversing uneven terrain.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the emitter system further comprises a power sourceconfigured to supply electrical power to the one or more emitter panels,wherein the power source is a portable generator.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the portable generator is a diesel generatorconfigured to deliver at least 250 kW.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the emitter system further comprises a powerinterrupting mechanism and a positioning system.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the emitter system further comprises a powerdistribution device disposed on at least part of the one or more emitterpanels and on at least part of the frame, wherein the power distributiondevice comprises one or more circuit breakers or other powerinterrupting mechanisms.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the system is sized so as to irradiate a standardlane width of asphalt pavement in a single pass.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), each emitter panel is in a shape of a square or arectangle having dimensions of approximately 12 inches by approximately24 inches, and wherein the emitter panels are arranged in an arraywherein each emitter panel abuts an adjacent emitter panel, and whereineach emitter panel is connected in parallel or in serial with otheremitter panels.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the array is approximately 12 feet wide, 8 feetlong, and approximately 2 feet high.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the emitter system further comprises a vehicleconfigured to pull the array and the power source over an asphaltpavement.

In a generally applicable third aspect (i.e. independently combinablewith any of the aspects or embodiments identified herein), a method isprovided for repairing an asphalt pavement, comprising: passing theemitter system of the second aspect over an asphalt pavement in need ofrepair, wherein the emitter system radiates terahertz energy into theasphalt pavement to a depth of at least 2 inches, wherein a temperaturedifferential throughout a top two inches of the asphalt pavement is 100°F. or less, wherein a highest temperature in the top two inches of theasphalt pavement does not exceed 300° F., and wherein a minimumtemperature in the top two inches of the asphalt pavement is at least200° F., whereby voids and interstices in the asphalt pavement aredisturbed without dehydrogenation of the asphalt in the asphaltpavement, and whereby oligomers present in the asphalt of the asphaltpavement are linked together into longer polymer chains, wherebyductility of the asphalt is improved.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the asphalt pavement is damaged asphalt pavement,the method further comprising, before passing an emitter over theasphalt: preparing a surface of the damaged asphalt pavement comprisingaged asphalt by filling in deviations from a uniform surface plane withdry aggregate and compacting the dry aggregate; and applying a reactiveasphalt emulsion to the prepared surface, whereby the reactive emulsionpenetrates into cracks and crevices in the damaged asphalt pavement andinto areas filled with the dry aggregate, wherein the reactive asphaltemulsion comprises butyl rubber, a diene modified asphalt, and anenvironmentally hardened bioresin, and wherein the reactive asphaltemulsion contains less than 1% perflurocarbons as volatile components.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the method further comprises removing roadreflectors, thermoplastic imprinting, and safety devices by mechanicallyremoving prior to filling in deviations.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the reactive asphalt emulsion further comprises a10,000 to 100,000 molecular weight grafted or ungrafted polyisobutyleneand a 10,000 to 100,000 molecular weight grafted or ungraftedstyrene-butadiene-styrene.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the dry aggregate is pre-coated with an elastomericcomposition, and wherein the reactive asphalt emulsion is at leastpartially cured so as to yield dry, free-flowing coated asphalt.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), a temperature differential throughout a top twoinches of asphalt pavement is 100° F. or less.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from 1nm to 5 mm.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from 2nm to 5 mm.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the oligomers possess 2-150 repeating units.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the method further comprises, after passing theemitter system over the asphalt: allowing the pavement to cool to below240° F.; and applying a compacting roller to the asphalt pavement tominimize voids and surface irregularities, wherein the asphalt is at atemperature no lower than 150° F., whereby a density of the compactedasphalt pavement is similar to that of virgin asphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the step of applying a reactive asphalt emulsionfurther comprises heating the asphalt pavement; wherein the asphaltpavement comprises granite rock and is exposed to electromagneticradiation that has a peak wavelength of from 3000 to 5000 nm in order toheat the asphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the step of applying a reactive asphalt emulsionfurther comprises heating the asphalt pavement; wherein the asphaltpavement comprises sand is further exposed to electromagnetic radiationthat has a peak wavelength of 3000 nm or from 5000 to 8000 nm in orderto heat the asphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the step of applying a reactive asphalt emulsionfurther comprises heating the asphalt pavement; wherein the asphaltpavement comprises limestone and is exposed to electromagnetic radiationthat has a peak wavelength of from 3000 to 4000 nm in order to heat theasphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the step of applying a reactive asphalt emulsionfurther comprises heating the asphalt pavement; wherein the asphaltpavement comprises maltene asphalt and is exposed to electromagneticradiation that has a peak wavelength of from 1000 to 10,000 nm in orderto heat the asphalt pavement.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, which is generally applicable(i.e., independently combinable with any of the aspects or embodimentsidentified herein), the step of applying a reactive asphalt emulsionfurther comprises heating the asphalt pavement; wherein the asphaltpavement comprises asphaltene asphalt and is exposed to electromagneticradiation that has a peak wavelength of from 1000 to 4000 nm in order toheat the asphalt pavement.

Any of the features of an embodiment of the first through third aspectsis applicable to all aspects and embodiments identified herein.Moreover, any of the features of an embodiment of the first throughthird aspects is independently combinable, partly or wholly with otherembodiments described herein in any way, e.g., one, two, or three ormore embodiments may be combinable in whole or in part. Further, any ofthe features of an embodiment of the first through third aspects may bemade optional to other aspects or embodiments. Any aspect or embodimentof a method can be performed by a system or apparatus of another aspector embodiment, and any aspect or embodiment of a system can beconfigured to perform a method of another aspect or embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A provides a top view of an apparatus for applying aggregate andreactive emulsion to paving surface to be repaired.

FIG. 1B provides a side and front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1A. Anair pot adhesive tank is not depicted. Electric power and compressed aircan be provided to the apparatus by a support unit, not depicted. Thehopper is loaded with a heated aggregate, and the apparatus isconfigured to move at a speed of 20 feet per minute, with a maximumspeed of delivery of aggregate of 75 feet per second.

FIG. 2 provides a schematic view of emitter of one embodiment employedin a system to cure a polymer modified asphalt emulsion and stonecomposite slurry over a damaged pavement.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B provide a schematic view of a portable emitterdevice.

FIG. 4 illustrates various fatigue life considerations and their impacton plausible useful life.

FIG. 5 depicts a Hamburg Wheel Test apparatus employed to test selectedasphalt pavement cores.

FIG. 6 provides a comparison of attributes of various cores tested.

FIG. 7A provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for left dock(L3, L6, L9) asphalt pavement cores.

FIG. 7B provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for right dock(R3, R6, R9) asphalt pavement cores.

FIG. 8A provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for left dock(L3, L6, L9) asphalt pavement cores prepared so as to achieve maximumcross-linking in all three aspects.

FIG. 8B provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test conducted onthe same L3, L6, and L9 asphalt pavement cores of FIG. 7A that hadalready been subjected to 25,000 cycles.

FIG. 9 provides a schematic depicting steps involved in reconstructionof damaged or aged pavement using emitter technology of an embodiment.

FIG. 10 provides a cost per lane miles per year comparison of emittertechnology of an embodiment versus conventional pavement rejuvenationtechnologies.

FIG. 11 provides a comparison of attributes of emitter technology versusconventional pavement rejuvenation technologies.

FIG. 12 provides a comparison of ASTM D2486 scrub resistance testresults for conventional pavement coatings versus TractionSeal AtomizedSlurry (−150 stone).

FIG. 13A through FIG. 13D are photographs of the coatings subjected tothe ASTM D2486 scrub resistance test of FIG. 11. They include a highperformance coal tar at 500 cycles (FIG. 13A), a premium seal coat at650 cycles (FIG. 13B), an acrylic traffic striping paint at 1250 cycles(FIG. 13C), and a TractionSeal atomized slurry at 1650 cycles (FIG.13D).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description and examples illustrate a preferred embodimentof the present invention in detail. Those of skill in the art willrecognize that there are numerous variations and modifications of thisinvention that are encompassed by its scope. Accordingly, thedescription of a preferred embodiment should not be deemed to limit thescope of the present invention.

Contrary to conventional methods, the systems of various embodiments andassociated paving repair methods not only repair the pavement to auniform surface with paving properties similar or superior toconventional or conventionally repaired asphalt paving, but also changethe character of the underlying deteriorated road bed to minimize oreliminate the telegraphing of cracks. This character of the underlyingpavement is a function of, e.g., the starting composition of the road,how the road was initially manufactured, exposure of the road to ambientconditions and different loads over time, and prior repair processes.

Pavement that has undergone the long term stresses of sun, rain andmechanical loads endures a continuous, oxidative chemical attack whichresults in mass loss to the binder. As asphalt binder mass loss occurs,the pavement shrinks, forming crack patterns: laterally, longitudinallyand into an alligatored mat. Visual, physical evidence of this crackpropagation usually begins within the first seven years of theinstallation of a new asphalt concrete (AC) pavement road.

A detailed reaction mechanism of asphalt oxidation, resulting in thismass loss of chemicals, remains a developing science. It is generallyaccepted that resinous sub-components such as naphthene aromatic andpolar aromatic fractions are consumed during the oxidation process.These resins constitute the continuous, solvating-suspension phase ofasphalt; and, taken as a whole, are referred to as maltenes. Suspendedwithin the maltenes are a high molecular weight substance known asasphaltenes. While a final development of this reaction mechanism isbeing developed, research scientists have identified the productionrate(s) of carbonyl groups such as ketones and carboxylic acid andsulfoxides, identified by infrared spectroscopy, as the functional‘fingerprint’ that the mechanism is progressing. A detailed discussionof the relationship between asphalt compatibility, flow properties, andoxidative aging is provided by Pauli et al., Int. J. Pavement Res.Techol. 6(1):1-7, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated byreference herein. Pauli et al. provide methodology for determining agingin asphalt pavement, which can be employed to determine the degree ofaging of asphalt pavement, enabling a comparison of the quality ofrepair attained by various methods (e.g., methods of the embodimentsversus conventional Hot In-Place Recycling, or conventional cold patchor hot patch technology).

Asphalt concrete ductility and adhesion is primarily a function of themaltene components. Aged asphalt binders, containing a substantiallyhigh percentage of asphaltenes, exhibit brittleness and sufficient lossof strength whereby rolling mechanical loads accelerate the rate ofdamage to the stone-asphalt composite structure. The uppermost one-halfinch (0.50″) cross-section of AC pavement has the highest concentrationof asphaltenes as the oxidative mechanism is accelerated by theconcentrated presence of moisture, air and sunlight at the pavementsurface. Such aged and alligatored pavement is repaired using thepavement repair systems of various embodiments.

Solid phase auto-regenerative cohesion can be achieved within an asphaltthrough the use of functional bio-resin modified, conventional emulsionsto achieve a robust fatigue life, including self-healing properties, forinfrastructure elements such as roads and concrete structures.Homogenizing asphalt liquid oligomers involves use of a highlyefficient, heavy industrial, mobile heating platform which is capable ofemitting a broad bandwidth of energy between near infrared to nearmicrowave. The technology for road construction and restoration has beendeveloped to optimize adhesive qualities and curing processes whichsubstantially attenuate well understood stress-strain relationshipswithin the aggregate binder system; thereby extending fatigue life.

Pavement Preparation Stage

The initial stage in the pavement repair methodology preferably involvesa preparatory stage. The rough surface and cracks of aged, e.g.,alligatored pavement are typically riddled with dirt and organic matter,which are removed to allow new slurry material to come in contact withthe original stone-asphalt composite structure. In this preparatorystage, the pavement surface is cleared of such debris, as well aspavement markers (road reflectors, raised pavement markers, temporarypolyurethane markers, tactile pavement structures, and the like).

It is generally preferred to remove pavement markers (road reflectors,raised pavement markers, temporary polyurethane markers, tactilepavement structures, thermoplastic imprinting, crosswalk markings, orother marking or safety devices) by mechanically removing, e.g.,scraping off or combusting, prior to conducting further steps. Anadvantage of the methodology of various embodiments over conventionalprocesses is that there is no need to clean the pavement beyond broomclean, e.g., by removing dirt and pavement markers, and there is also noneed to remove any paint or other such markings on the pavement surface.

Debris removal is advantageously accomplished by applying a pressurizedair-water mixture to the surface; however, other methods can beperformed instead of or in conjunction with pressurized treatment. Forexample, the surface can be cleaned using pressurized air only,pressurized water only, a pressurized solvent, sweeping, vacuuming, orthe like. In a preferred embodiment, debris removal is preferablyaccomplished using a low volume, high pressure water blasting systemoperating in the 100-500 psi range. A nozzle jet which delivers aconical pattern is particularly preferred because it leaves no spray‘shadow’ as the washing device moves parallel to the surface of thepavement. A vacuum system positioned just ahead and just behind the highpressure washing system can minimize the possible negative environmentalimpact caused by dislodged material being transferred into theatmosphere and adjacent ditch line. A conventional Hot In-Place Recycleprocess virtually never follows this practice, since when the uppermostpavement cross-section (approximately the top 2″ of pavement) is planedor scarified, the dirt and organic debris is simply rolled into theprocessed pavement, thereby becoming small defects to the final,recycled pavement finish.

Large cracks (e.g., cracks wider than one inch), potholes and divots arepreferably filled with suitable cold or warm patch asphalt concretematerial and compacted to a dense structure parallel to the elevation ofthe surrounding pavement surface. In some embodiments, deviations from auniform surface plane (e.g., potholes, divots, cracks, grooves,compressions, ruts, and the like) in the pavement are filled andcompacted with select gradations of dry aggregate, e.g., prior toapplication of a cold or warm patch asphalt, or an asphalt emulsion.Deviations from a uniform surface plane can penetrate deep into thesurface of a rough pavement, typically to a depth of up to 3 or 4inches. The aggregate serves to infill lost volume to the structure andreturn the pavement surface to a uniform plane, with no divots, ruts, orother sizeable irregularities. The aggregate is also selected to exhibitthe proper combination of micro and macro texture to ensure goodtraction for vehicles traveling over the road under ambient conditions.Typical aggregate size ranges from ¼ inches in diameter to ⅜ inches indiameter; however, smaller or larger aggregate can be employed. Suitableaggregate includes coarse particulate material typically used inconstruction, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycledconcrete or asphalt pavements, ground tire rubber, and geosyntheticaggregates. In paving applications, the aggregate serves asreinforcement to add strength to the overall composite material.Aggregates are also used as base material under roads. In other words,aggregates are used as a stable foundation or road/rail base withpredictable, uniform properties (e.g. to help prevent differentialsettling under the road or building), or as a low-cost extender thatbinds with more expensive cement or asphalt to form concrete. TheAmerican Society for Testing and Materials publishes a listing ofspecifications for various construction aggregate products, which, bytheir individual design, are suitable for specific constructionpurposes. These products include specific types of coarse and fineaggregate designed for such uses as additives to asphalt and concretemixes, as well as other construction uses. State transportationdepartments further refine aggregate material specifications in order totailor aggregate use to the needs and available supply in theirparticular locations. Sources of aggregates can be grouped into threemain categories: those derived from mining of mineral aggregatedeposits, including sand, gravel, and stone; those derived from of wasteslag from the manufacture of iron and steel; and those derived byrecycling of concrete, which is itself chiefly manufactured from mineralaggregates. The largest-volume of recycled material used as constructionaggregate is blast furnace and steel furnace slag. Blast furnace slag iseither air-cooled (slow cooling in the open) or granulated (formed byquenching molten slag in water to form sand-sized glass-like particles).If the granulated blast furnace slag accesses free lime duringhydration, it develops strong hydraulic cementitious properties and canpartly substitute for Portland cement in concrete. Steel furnace slag isalso air-cooled. Glass aggregate, a mix of colors crushed to a smallsize, is substituted for many construction and utility projects in placeof pea gravel or crushed rock. Aggregates themselves can be recycled asaggregates. Many polymer-based geosynthetic aggregates are also madefrom recycled materials. Any solid material exhibiting propertiessimilar to those of the above-described aggregates may be employed asaggregate in the processes of various embodiments. Once the dryaggregate is placed in the damaged areas (potholes, large divots, largecracks, or compressions), it is preferably compacted, smoothed andleveled off.

Reactive Asphalt Emulsion Stage

After the surface of the aged pavement is cleaned, a reactive asphaltemulsion or an aggregate composite slurry, e.g., a hot slurry, issprayed, poured, or otherwise applied onto cleaned (and optionally hotpatch asphalt concrete, cold patch asphalt concrete, and/or the dryaggregate-filled) surface. The reactive asphalt emulsion and/oraggregate composite slurry thus applied quickly penetrates into smallcracks and crevices in the aged pavement as well as dry aggregate-filledareas, providing a substantially fully saturated cross section to asurface of the plane of the road. Because of the high penetratingability of the reactive asphalt emulsion in the emulsion and aggregatecomposite slurry, only a small amount of binder is needed to form astrong bond with the dry aggregate—typically approximately 10% binder to90% dry aggregate is employed. The reactive emulsion is preferably hotand typically applied in the form of a 20% to 40% solid emulsion inwater. The water in the reactive asphalt emulsion either flashes offduring subsequent activities, or is absorbed by the aggregate orotherwise remains in the paving system. The binder upon curing bonds notonly the new aggregate together, but also new aggregate to old pavement,and old pavement together.

The process methods utilize various combinations of elastomers and othercomponents so as to achieve a road surface exhibiting an extremely goodtoughness, extremely good stretchability, good environmental resistance,and good adhesion. The compositions are waterborne, sprayable, and canbe provided as a single package. A plurality of crosslinkable binderelements is employed. In addition to binding new aggregate and agedpavement, the reactive emulsion compositions may be configured for useas a primer/tack coat, a stress absorbing interlayer, or a texturerestoring and waterproofing top coat.

The compositions exhibit viscosities suitable for processing usingconventional paving techniques, and polymerize at a temperaturecompatible with conventional asphalt paving temperatures. Dissolvingdiluents and plasticizers are employed in conjunction with theelastomers such that the rubberized mixture of elastomer and asphalt isrendered into liquid form at room temperature, which yields tremendousadvantages in terms of handleability and ease of installation inaddition to long term performance of the resulting paving material. Theelastomer compositions include butyl rubber, diene modified asphalt, andchemically fortified bioresins (bioresins that have been taken through areactor cycle to enhance long term stability, sun resistance, and longterm hydrolytic resistance), and contain negligible (<1%) to zeroperflurocarbons (PFCs) and negligible (<1%) polyaromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) as the volatile components.

Alternatively to and in conjunction with the placement of dry aggregatein voids as previously described, the elastomer compositions can beprepared as an ambient liquid that, at the job site, may be sprayed intoa mixer with aggregate. The composition coats the stone using similartechniques as in a hot mix plant, except that it is done at ambienttemperature. The coated aggregate is laid on the ground and spread withconventional drag boxes or paving machines at a very thin coating.Depending upon the size of the aggregate, a thickness of 1/10 inch canbe obtained (e.g., using spray coating or other deposition techniques);however, thicknesses of approximately ½ inch are typically employed withaggregate having a diameter of up to approximately ⅜ inches.

The reactive emulsion is a waterborne emulsion of a polymer modifiedasphalt. The asphalt itself can be provided in emulsion form. Asphalt,also referred to as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscousliquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and insome natural deposits. Asphalt is used as a glue or binder mixed withaggregate particles to create asphalt pavement. The terms “asphalt” and“bitumen” are often used interchangeably to mean both natural andmanufactured forms of the substance. Asphalt is the refined residue fromthe distillation process of selected crude oils and boils at 525° F.Naturally occurring asphalt is sometimes referred to as “crude bitumen.”Asphalt is composed primarily of a mixture of highly condensedpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; it is most commonly modeled as acolloid.

A number of technologies allow asphalt to be mixed at temperatures muchlower than its boiling point. These involve mixing the asphalt withpetroleum solvents to form “cutbacks” with reduced melting point ormixtures with water to turn the asphalt into an emulsion. Asphaltemulsions contain up to 70% asphalt and typically less than 1.5%chemical additives. There are two main types of emulsions with differentaffinity for aggregates, cationic and anionic.

Asphalt can also be made from non-petroleum based renewable resourcessuch as sugar, molasses, rice, corn, and potato starches, or from wastematerial by fractional distillation of used motor oils.

The asphalt can be modified by the addition of polymers, e.g., naturalrubber or synthetic thermoplastic rubbers. Styrene butadiene styrene andstyrene ethylenebutadiene styrene are thermoplastic rubbers. EthyleneVinyl Acetate (EVA) is a thermoplastic polymer. The most common grade ofEVA for asphalt modification in pavement is the classification 150/19 (amelt flow index of 150 and a vinyl acetate content of 19%). The polymersoftens at high temp, and then solidifies upon cooling. Typically,approximately 5% by weight of the polymeric additive is added to theasphalt. Rubberized asphalt is particularly suited for use in certainembodiments.

Functionalized triglyceride bioresins can be employed as thermosetcomponents in certain emulsion formulations. Thermosets harden at hightemperature. When employed in combination with a thermoplasticcomponent, the composition maintains its shape better on heating andunder high temperature conditions. Suitable bioresins are derived fromtriglycerides—fatty acid triesters of the trihydroxy alcohol glycerol.Triglycerides are an abundant renewable resource primarily derived fromnatural plant or animal oils that contain esterified mono- topoly-unsaturated fatty acid side chains. They can be obtained from avariety of plant sources, e.g., linseed oil, castor oil, soybean oil.Linseed oil comprises an average of 53% linolenic acid, 18% oleic acid,15% linoleic acid, 6% palmitic acid, and 6% stearic acid. Cross-linkingoccurs at points of unsaturation on the fatty acid side chains. Thetriglycerides can be modified to contain epoxy and/or hydroxy groups bymethods known in the art to improve cross-linking and to allow thetriglyceride to be cross-linked using conventional urethane crosslinkingchemistries.

Suitable binder crosslink components include resins that aremultifunctional and react with active hydrogens, e.g., in carboxylic orcarbonyl, or hydroxyl. These resins can include polyurethanes,isocyanates, bisphenol A-based liquid epoxy resins, and aliphatic glycolepoxy resins as marketed by The Dow Chemical Company. The bindercrosslink component is water dispersible but will stay buffered fromgoing into a crosslink in the presence of water. Upon evaporation of thewater, it will self-cross within 24 hours just from UV initiation. Aslong as water is present in the mix, the components can remain inproximity without cross-linking (e.g., yielding a single componentformulation).

Suitable suspension components include pre-crosslinked bioresinsuspension gels. They react with both the crosslink component andcatalyst to yield a tough, water resistant, shear resistant plastic. Thesuspension component is preferably relatively inexpensive, hastremendous robustness, and is not hydrophobic.

Suitable catalysts include multi-functional pre-dispersed initiators(MFXI). Multifunctional initiators are those that possess more than onefunctional group capable of providing a site for chain growth. Thecatalyst assists in improving growth of molecular weight, and whencompounded into the polymer imparts robustness. The catalyst can beactivated by either ultraviolet radiation (e.g., sunlight) or heat.Suitable multifunctional catalysts can include one or more sulfates anda reactive metal that is an electron scavenger, which can causecrosslinking between a hydrogen-seeking crosslinking agent and otherfunctional groups in the presence of water.

The components of the reactive emulsion composition can undergo athermotropic conversion, resulting in entanglement and/or bridging atfunctional groups such that the resulting reaction product comprisesboth thermoplastic and thermoset elements. The resulting compositionexhibits a superior suspension (the “yield”) against the settling of themuch denser inorganic element (fine to coarse aggregate) by theformation of a “clathrate” or “cage-like” medium. This fully integrated,interlocking connectivity between the three polymeric componentsmaintains the aggregate in place and better protected from the elementsthan in conventional formulations.

The thermoplastic component and the thermoset/suspending componentspossess chain-terminating functional groups that are hindered mostly bywater but will selectively react to form a crosslink, upon waterevaporation, to the thermoplastic functionality rather than to thefunctionality of sister thermoset molecules, thereby forming a truethermotrope rather than a less precise molecularly entanglement whichexhibits more amorphous (and less useful) physical properties. Thecomposition can be provided as a single package, which isactivated/cross-linked upon removal of the water. The chain chemistry issuch that thermoplastic moieties are coupled to thermoset moieties. Whenheated, it will act like a thermoplastic but it will have substantialresistance to thermal distortion because of the thermoset components.The relative amounts of thermoplastic and thermoset components willdetermine the resistance. For example, a small amount of thermoplasticmoieties with a large amount of thermoset moieties will exhibit littleplasticity upon heating. The resulting cross-linked material can beconsidered to be a thermotrope that will behave like both a thermosetand a thermoplastic at different temperatures.

The thermoplastic component in the water-borne compositions of selectedembodiments is a preferably a polymer modified asphalt emulsion, withthe polymer typically a styrene, ethylene, butadiene styrene, or astyrene butadiene styrene polymer. The midblock, e.g., butadiene and/orethylene butadiene, can be linear or radial. Polyethylene glycols, suchas those available from Kraton and Asahi, are water-soluble nonionicoxygen-containing high-molecular ethylene oxide polymers having twoterminal hydroxyl groups. They are available in a broad range ofmolecular weight grades, and include crystalline thermoplastic polymers(MW>2000) suitable for use in certain compositions of the variousembodiments. An additional broad range of properties is available byintegrating polyisobutylene rubber (e.g., Oppanol® manufactured by BASFof Ludwigshafen am Rhein. Germany). The Oppanol® polyisobutylenes are ofmedium and high molecular weight, ranging from 10,000 MW up to 5,000,000MW. TABLE 1 lists properties of commercially available Oppanol®polyisobutylenes that are suitable for use in elastomer compositions ofvarious embodiments.

TABLE 1 Viscosity in Average solution molecular (isooctane, Staudingerweight, 20° C.) Index viscosity Stabilized Concentration (J0) average(Mv) [with Oppanol ® [g/cm3] [cm3/g] [g/mol] BHT]medium-molecular-weight Oppanol ® B 10 SFN 0.01 27.5-31.2 40 000 No B 10N 0.01 27.5-31.2 40 000 Yes B 11 SFN 0.01 32.5-36.0 49 000 No B 12 SFN0.01 34.5-39.0 55 000 No B 12 N 0.01 34.5-39.0 55 000 Yes B 13 SFN 0.0139.0-43.0 65 000 No B 14 SFN 0.01 42.5-46.4 73 000 No B 14 N 0.0142.5-46.4 73 000 Yes B 15 SFN 0.01 45.9-51.6 85 000 No B 15 N 0.0145.9-51.6 85 000 Yes high-molecular-weight Oppanol ® B 30 SF 0.00576.5-93.5 200 000  No B 50 0.002 113-143 400 000  Yes B 50 SF 0.002113-143 400 000  No B 80 0.002 178-236 800 000  Yes B 100 0.002 241-2941 110 000   Yes B 150 0.001 416-479 2 600 000   Yes B 200 0.001 551-6614 000 000   Yes

The reactive emulsion and/or aggregate slurry can be sprayed or pouredon a prepared or unprepared pavement surface to be repaired. Uponcontact with hot rock or pavement, the water present evaporates and thecomposition sets. Once set, the composition may be treated withelectromagnetic radiation and then compacted by a vibrating roller whileat or above 150° F. (or above 175° F., or above 200° F.) but below the‘blue smoke’ threshold (typically >300° F.), preferably below 275° F.,most preferably about 250° F. The resulting surface has a very low voiddensity, a high resistance to heating and softening, and it has anchorpoints with a wearing core essentially that is bound into it that willnot move if new pavement is placed on top. The compositions of variousembodiments enable the densification (or reduction in voids percentage)to be dramatically improved, e.g., a pavement having 6-8% voids can bedensified to a pavement having 5% or less voids, or even 4% or lessvoids, e.g., 2% to 2.5%, 3%, or 3.5% voids. A void percentage reductionof 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, or 5% or more (e.g., a void percentage reduction of1% would correspond to a densification of a pavement having 6% voids toone having 5% voids) is desirable; however, smaller reductions can alsobe advantageous. The life of the pavement is increased substantiallyupon improvement in densification.

Although dry, untreated aggregate can optionally be employed in thepreparatory stage, and later combined with the reactive emulsion toyield a reactive emulsion and aggregate slurry, it can be advantageousto combine the reactive emulsion and aggregate into a slurry beforeapplying to the aged (e.g., alligatored) pavement. In certainembodiments it can be desirable to pretreat the aggregate surface toform “anchor points” by coating with a water dispersible thermoset resinthat has, in addition to the functional groups which selectively couplewith the thermoplastic functionality discussed above, an independent,mid-morphology, pendulous functionality which bonds with a sufficientlyimproved strength to the specific rock chemistry being used in the finalcomposition. Foremost, this dramatically improves binder adhesion to thestone binder interface, thereby reducing moisture susceptibility. Italso assures that the film stays in place and does not prematurely sliplaterally. A benefit in an application such as an interlayer primer ismuch higher compaction and thus a lower void density, i.e., improvedresistance to oxidative, hydrocarbon embrittlement and ultimately anoticeably longer useful.

The reactive emulsions exhibit superior properties when compared toconventional formulations. The superior properties can be in the areasof handling, storability, hazmat, curing characteristics, environmentalconsiderations, chemical resistance, moisture susceptibility, sunresistance, tensile and flexural quanta, and anti-strip quanta. Thecompositions can be handled, stored and installed using conventionalequipment. They can exhibit reduced hot mix asphalt (HMA) concrete voiddensity. They can provide a novel way to restore microtexture to apavement surface. They can exhibit improved water resistance and/or sunresistance. The compositions can provide the highest mechanicalproperties versus unit of cost, and are sustainable. The compositionsreform and stabilize a broad range of weakness in asphalt and result ina substantially lower life cycle cost of pavement maintenance.

FIG. 1A provides a top view of an apparatus for applying aggregate andreactive emulsion to paving surface to be repaired. FIG. 1B provides aside and front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1A. An air pot adhesivetank is not depicted. Electric power and compressed air can be providedto the apparatus by a support unit, not depicted. The hopper is loadedwith a heated aggregate, and the apparatus is configured to move at aspeed of 20 feet per minute, with a maximum speed of delivery ofaggregate of 75 feet per second.

Elastomer Coated Aggregate Stage

In certain embodiments, after the aggregate has been placed and thereactive emulsion has been applied, optionally a thin layer (from about⅛ inches or less to about 1 inches or more) of elastomer coatedaggregate can optionally be either sprayed or spread across the surfaceof the pavement so as to provide a uniform surface and to fill in anyother depressions that were not aggregate filled during the dryaggregate preparation stage.

Heating Stages

In certain embodiments, it can be desired to heat an asphalt surface.Heating can be accomplished by conventional techniques, or techniques asdescribed herein. In certain embodiments wherein an asphalt emulsion isapplied to a pavement surface to be subjected to exposure to terahertzelectromagnetic radiation, it can be desirable to heat the pavementsurface prior to and/or after application of the asphalt emulsion, butbefore any subsequent application of terahertz electromagnetic radiation(e.g., to induce crosslinking). In the heating stage, electromagneticradiation of a preselected peak wavelength is applied to the pavementsurface prior to and after application of the asphalt emulsion in orderto heat the asphalt. The heating radiation can be generated usingconventional techniques as described herein, or by modifying an emitteras in various embodiments to emit a desired wavelength. The wavelengthof the electromagnetic radiation used for heating is selected based uponthe aggregate and/or asphalt present. Preferred peak wavelengths forcommon materials are provided below. For example, granite rock isadvantageously heated by applying electromagnetic radiation with a peakwavelength of from 3000-5000 nm. Sand, depending upon the composition,is advantageously heated by applying electromagnetic radiation with apeak wavelength of 3000 nm or from 5000-8000 nm. Limestone isadvantageously heated by applying electromagnetic radiation with a peakwavelength of from 3000-4000 nm. Maltene asphalt is advantageouslyheated by applying electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength offrom 1000-8000 nm. Asphaltene asphalt is advantageously heated byapplying electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength of from1000-3000 nm.

TABLE 2 Peak Wavelength Granite Maltene Asphaltene (nm) Rock SandLimestone Asphalt Asphalt 1000 X X 2000 X X 3000 X X X X X 4000 X X X5000 X X X 6000 X X 7000 X X 8000 X X 9000 X 10000 X

In operation, the preselected wavelength is achieved primarily by theregulation of the surface temperature of the emitter element (thewavelength produced by the heat source is dependent upon the sourcetemperature). This is achieved by adjusting the source(s) by which thesurface temperature is achieved, and thus the peak wavelength, to matchthe spectral absorption rate of the material to be heated. Thisprinciple applies regardless of the construction of the heat source. Byway of example, an Incoloy tubular heater, the resistance wire of aquartz heater, an FP Flat Panel heater or a Black Body Ceramic Infraredheater operating at 850° F. would all have the same peak energywavelength of 4,000 nm (4 microns).

Two common methods of temperature control in infrared processes includevarying the voltage input to the element and adjusting the amount ofon-time versus off-time of the elements. A closed loop control systemincludes infrared sensors or thermocouples attached or integral to theenergy source. These sensors or thermocouples monitor the temperature ofthe process and signal a control which, in turn, signals an outputdevice to deliver current to (or turn of current from) the heat source.

With an established, preselected absorption rate strategy, the wattdensity, process time cycle and distance to pavement surface can bedetermined.

The heating electromagnetic radiation can be generated using emittersystems as described herein. In a preferred embodiment, an emittersystem as depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B is modified to emit a suitablewavelength for heating. In this system, a series of easily removableemitter cartridges are mounted within a towable stainless steel frame.Surface temperature modulation can be achieved by one or more of: an ACpower, waveform controller; cartridge design; voltage regulation; and anon-off power schedule. For example, IR heating cartridges can be swappedfor terahertz emitting cartridges as desired.

As employed herein, “optimal pre-thermalization” (OPT) is defined asapplying electromagnetic radiation of a preselected peak wavelength to aparticular pavement cross-section, wherein the greatest temperature riseper unit of pavement mass is obtained for the lowest expended unit ofenergy during any time sequence when both parameters are beingcorrelated. Pavement pounds/degree Fahrenheit rise/kilowatt hoursexpended (Pp/delta F/kwh) is the unit of measure of OPT.

Each cross-section of pavement has its own unique material andtopographic characteristics. Tailoring the system to take advantage ofthese differences can be achieved by adjusting the bandwidth and thepower density of the electromagnetic radiation so as to maximizeradiation absorption for a given set of conditions.

As a first step, this is done by reference to tables which have beenempirically developed by field experiments to classify absorbedwavelength quanta as it relates to: 1) stone petrography, 2)asphaltene/maltene content of the binder and 3) categories of averagecrack width×depth topography. This tool is referred to as an OPT Chart.See, e.g., TABLE 2. Most asphalt concrete pavement comprises about 95%stone and 5% binder by mass. Cracks in pavement can include thosereferred to in the industry as ‘micro fissures’, which are as narrow asapproximately 0.004″, to larger cracks up to approximately 3″ in width.Below the dimensional range for micro fissures, the cracks are not easyto visibly detect without magnification. Above the dimensional range forlarger cracks over 3″, such cracks are typically beaten into potholes bywheel traffic. The systems of various embodiments are preferablyemployed for repairing pavement with cracks of about 3″ in width, orless, e.g., 0.004″ to 3″, or 0.004″ to 2″, or 0.004″ to 1″, or 0.004″ to0.5″, or 0.004″ to 0.05″, or to any range between.

The emitter emits electromagnetic waves with a combination ofhorizontal, vertical and circular polarization. As a ‘rule of thumb’,the width of a waveguide is of the same order of magnitude as thewavelength of the guided wave. The cracks are potential waveguidestructures. Since the cracks may act as dielectric waveguides, choosinga wavelength that is near the average maximum absorption quanta of thestone and binder, but which may also effectively carry the selectedwavelength's zigzag progression deep into a large portion of the crackswithout energy loss, is an effective strategy to achieve OPT.

Prior to beginning the repair of a specific section of pavement, asmall-scale, easily configurable emitter can be deployed at the jobsite. This test assembly is pre-configured to emit a specific IRwavelength at a given watt density pursuant to the OPT Chart. Selectlocations within the field of repair, which are representative of theaverage field conditions, are then heated to determine the actualPp/delta F/kwh. Once the effectiveness of the pre-selected IR bandwidthand watt density have been measured through the use of the small scaleemitter, additional adjustments may be made to the emitter frequency bycartridge construction, voltage, power density and/or on-off powerschedule to tune the system, as necessary, to achieve OPT during projectscale-up.

In operation, after the aged and alligatored pavement has been cleanedof debris, the surface of the pavement is heated to attain a temperatureof about 240° F., e.g., from about 150-350° F., or from about 175-325°F., or from about 200-300° F., or from about 225-275° F., or from about230-250° F., or any range between. The heating is advantageouslyaccomplished using an emitter array as described herein (e.g., asdepicted in 3); however, any alternative heating system can also beemployed, as discussed herein. The peak wavelength is selected based onthe pavement to be heated, e.g., by use of an OPT table or byexploratory testing conducted on representative portions of the surfaceusing a small scale emitter. After the cleaned aged and alligatoredpavement has been heated, the asphalt emulsion is applied as describedherein. Electromagnetic radiation is then applied to the emulsion toattain a temperature sufficient to achieve curing, as described herein,e.g., of about 250° F. or a temperature of from about 150-350° F., orfrom about 175-325° F., or from about 200-300° F., or from about225-275° F., or from about 230-250° F., or any range between.

After the steps of pavement preparation and application of the asphaltemulsion, the pavement can be considered a “wet” system that, if left toslow cure, would eventually provide some degree of quality as to thedriving surface. However, the heating steps subsequently employed insystems of certain embodiments result in a dramatically superior drivingsurface.

The heating element applies electromagnetic radiation that penetratesdeep into the pavement and/or emulsion. When applied to the emulsion, itsoftens and crosslinks the upper portions of new material, yielding amaterial that after compression into a dense structure will exhibitproperties well exceeding those of conventional asphalt pavement interms of toughness, resilience, flexibility, and/or resistance tocracks. In the lower, old pavement portions beneath the new portions theheating and rolling process compresses and pushes together the warmedold asphalt and the preparation of the nearly volatile-free emulsion orthe binder emulsion, eliminating voids, to create a tougher and moredurable transition region between the old pavement substrate and the newoverlay. The transition region is a continuum, and at depths of from 2½to 3 inches or more, past which the preparation of binder emulsionand/or the electromagnetic energy do not penetrate. The material isessentially old asphalt paving that has been remelted and pushedtogether. Because it does not contain elastomer, the properties will besimilar to those of conventional asphalt; however, cracks and fissureswill have been eliminated by the process and thus will not telegraph tothe surface.

Accordingly, after application of the reactive emulsion (and optionallythe thin layer of elastomer coated aggregate) over the aggregate filledpavement surface, a heat shuttle including a heating element is passedover the pavement surface. The heat shuttle can be of any suitabledimension, e.g., as large as or larger than 32 feet wide by 32 feetlong, or smaller, e.g., 8 feet wide by 8 feet long, or 4 feet wide by 4feet long. In a particular preferred embodiment, the shuttle issufficiently wide so as to cover an entire width of a standard road orhighway traffic lane including associated shoulder, or a full width of atypical two lane road. The heat shuttle is pulled across the top of theprepared surface. As the heat shuttle passes over the surface, a heatingelement delivers electromagnetic radiation of the preselected peakwavelength, e.g., energy in the near microwave (e.g., terahertz) to themid-infrared range, that penetrates through the layer of elastomercoated aggregate, and down into the aggregate-filled new portions aswell as the undisturbed old portions of the pavement being repaired. Themicrowave-infrared energy penetrates down to a depth of 3 or moreinches, heating the entire penetrated mass of repaired pavement to atemperature of at least about 240° F., but preferably not more than275-300° F., yielding a softened heated mass comprising the topmost 1,2, or even 3 inches of the pavement surface. An advantage of the systemsof certain embodiments is that the old pavement is not disrupted as partof the repair process, such that there is minimal oxidation of the oldpavement upon application of heat, such that minimal smoke is generatedby the process.

Heat shuttles can be employed to heat pavement. Heat shuttles canincorporate various different types of heating elements. Oneconventional type of emitter comprises a stainless steel tube whereinnatural gas or liquid propane gas are mixed with air and ignited,generating heat (infrared energy) that is released through the stainlesssteel tube. Although other types of alloys can also be employed for thetube, stainless steel is generally preferred for its slow deteriorationand for the bandwidth of energy that radiates from the outside of thattube typically in the medium to far infrared which exhibits goodpenetration into asphalt pavement systems. Other types of emittersinclude those incorporating a rigid ceramic element where the combustiontakes place in micropores in the ceramic element. Bandwidth for suchemitters is also in the medium to far infrared. Another type of emitterincorporates a flexible cloth-like ceramic medium having several layers,or layers of stainless steel cloth together with ceramic cloth. Thecloth traps the combustion gases so that no flame is present on thesurface of the element while generating infrared emissions. Any suitabledevice capable of generating infrared radiation that penetrates to adepth of 2, 3, 4 or more inches into the pavement surface can beemployed to heat pavement.

A particularly preferred heat shuttle incorporates a ceramic structurein a form of thin sheets of cloth-like material that can operate at muchhigher temperatures (e.g., 2000° C.) than conventional ceramics (e.g.,1500° C.). In this structure, a higher combustion temperature can beobtained by catalyzing combustion of an air/liquefied petroleum gas(LPG) mixture or air/nitric gas mixture. The infrared energy generatedis typically of shorter wavelength than the previously describedsystems, and can more quickly and efficiently heat the pavement thanthese conventional systems. The system also avoids creation of an openflame, with the resulting generation of smoke and other carbon emissionsfrom the heated pavement. Any combustible mixture that adjusts thecombustion reaction, if necessary, to generate electromagnetic radiationof the desired peak wavelength, can be employed to generate penetratingenergy suitable for heating the asphalt/aggregate mixture to be treated.

In certain embodiments, it can be desired to apply longer wavelengthradiation of the pavement. Combustible mixtures that slow down thecombustion reaction such that longer wavelengths are produced, e.g.,liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), can be employed to generate suchpenetrating energy.

Conventional combustion systems typically generate energy with awavelength of from 1-5 nm. Instead, it is generally preferred thatenergy of longer wavelengths, e.g., of from 2-5 mm (terahertz range) begenerated, e.g., to initiate crosslinking. Heating (as opposed tocrosslinking) the asphalt/aggregate mixture to be treated canadvantageously be accomplished, e.g., using energy with a shorterwavelength of from 1000-10000 nm.

In certain embodiments, simplified electronics and software can beemployed in connection with a device that employs a simple emitter, soas to avoid high capital expenditures. The emitter is designed toproduce radiation at a wavelength or range of wavelengths that willpenetrate the pavement while at the same time minimizing excess heatingin an upper region of the pavement, such that substantially uniformheating throughout the asphalt medium down to a depth of at least 1, 2or 3 inches is obtained. In some embodiments, substantially uniformheating includes a temperature differential throughout a preselecteddepth, e.g., 2 inches, of no more than 50° F. In other words, thetemperature of any portion of the upper region is no more than 50° F.higher than any portion of the lowest region. However, in certainembodiments, larger temperature differentials may be acceptable, e.g.,up to 100° F. or more, provided that damage to the cured surface isavoided.

To attain the desired temperature profile, radiation in the infraredregion is applied. The radiated energy applied to the surface isselected so as to control a depth of penetration and a rate ofpenetration to avoid heating or activating the asphalt too quickly,which may damage the pavement. The devices of various embodiments can bemanufactured to minimize cost and are suitable for use in the field.Field use can be achieved by powering the device using a portablegenerator, e.g., a Tier 4 diesel engine, which qualifies under currentemission standards. In one embodiment, the generator is electricallyconnected to a series of emitter panels situated within a metal frame.The device can be insulated with a high-density ceramic, and the panelscan be nested within the ceramic liner of a frame points to pointdownward towards the pavement. One example of an emitter panel isprovided in FIG. 2.

An array of panels can be assembled together, as in an array of 2×1panels, or any other desired configuration, e.g., 2×2, 2×3, 2×4, 2×5,2×6, 2×7, 2×8, 2×9, 2×10, 2×11, 2×12, 2×13, 2×14, 2×15, 2×16, 2×17,2×18, 2×19, 2×20, 2×(more than 20), 3×3, 3×4, 3×5, 3×6, 3×7, 3×8, 3×9,3×10, 3×11, 3×12, 3×13, 3×14, 3×15, 3×16, 3×17, 3×18, 3×19, 3×20,3×(more than 20), 4×4, 4×5, 4×6, 4×7, 4×8, 4×9, 4×10, 4×11, 4×12, 4×13,4×14, 4×15, 4×16, 4×17, 4×18, 4×19, 4×20, 4×(more than 20), 5×5, 5×6,5×7, 5×8, 5×9, 5×10, 5×11, 5×12, 5×13, 5×14, 5×15, 5×16, 5×17, 5×18,5×19, 5×20, 5×(more than 20), 6×6, 6×7, 6×8, 6×9, 6×10, 6×11, 6×12,6×13, 6×14, 6×15, 6×16, 6×17, 6×18, 6×19, 6×20, 6×(more than 20), 7×7,7×8, 7×9, 7×10, 7×11, 7×12, 7×13, 7×14, 7×15, 7×16, 7×17, 7×18, 7×19,7×20, 7×(more than 20), 8×8, 8×9, 8×10, 8×11, 8×12, 8×13, 8×14, 8×15,8×16, 8×17, 8×18, 8×19, 8×20, 8×(more than 20), 9×9, 9×10, 9×11, 9×12,9×13, 9×14, 9×15, 9×16, 9×17, 9×18, 9×19, 9×20, 9×(more than 20), 10×10,10×11, 10×12, 10×13, 10×14, 10×15, 10×16, 10×17, 10×18, 10×19, 10×20,10×(more than 20), 11×11, 11×12, 11×13, 11×14, 11×15, 11×16, 11×17,11×18, 11×19, 11×20, 11×(more than 20), 12×12, 12×13, 12×14, 12×15,12×16, 12×17, 12×18, 12×19, 12×20, 12×(more than 20), 13×13, 13×14,13×15, 13×16, 13×17, 13×18, 13×19, 13×20, 13×(more than 20), 14×14,14×15, 14×16, 14×17, 14×18, 14×19, 14×20, 14×(more than 20), 15×15,15×16, 15×17, 15×18, 15×19, 15×20, 15×(more than 20), 16×16, 16×17,16×18, 16×19, 16×20, 16×(more than 20), 17×17, 17×18, 17×19, 17×20,17×(more than 20), 18×18, 18×19, 18×20, 18×(more than 20), 19×19, 19×20,19×(more than 20), 20×20, 20×(more than 20), or (more than 20)×(morethan 20). The panels can be of any suitable size, e.g., 1×1 inches orsmaller, 3×3 inches, 6×6 inches, 12×12 inches, 18×18 inches, or 24×24inches or larger. The panels can be one or more of square, rectangular,triangular, hexagonal, or other shape. Preferably, each panel abuts anadjacent panel so as to minimize non-emitting space; however, in certainembodiments some degree of spacing between panels may be acceptable,such that, e.g., circular emitters can be employed, or, e.g., squareemitters can be spaced apart. One example of a suitable array is a 2×12array of one foot square panels.

While in certain embodiments an elongated (e.g., coiled, straight,tubular, or other structures in a waveguide pattern) semiconductor(e.g., silicon carbide, non-oriented carbon fiber, doped boron nitride)or resistance condutcors (e.g., iron-nickel) can be employed in theemitter, in a particularly preferred embodiment the panels include aserpentine wire as an emitter. An advantage of the serpentineconfiguration is that it does not have the high resistance exhibited byspaced apart coils. Accordingly, more of the energy is emitted asradiation of the desired wavelength. The coils are spaced apart tominimize the resistance, and a radiant energy is emitted within a“sandwiched” space bounded on the upper side of by the high-densityceramic that has a very low permittivity and essentially redirects thereflected energy from the serpentine wire downward.

On the lower side of the wires, which can advantageously be embedded ina support or be self-supporting, is a thin micaceous panel. The micagroup of sheet silicate (phyllosilicate) minerals includes severalclosely related materials having close to perfect basal cleavage. Allare monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, andare similar in chemical composition. The nearly perfect cleavage, whichis the most prominent characteristic of mica, is explained by thehexagonal sheet-like arrangement of its atoms. Mica or other materialsexhibiting micaceous properties can include a large number of layersthat create birefringence or trirefringence (biaxial birefringence).Birefringence is the optical property of a material having a refractiveindex that depends on the polarization and propagation direction oflight. These optically anisotropic materials are said to bebirefringent. The birefringence is often quantified by the maximumdifference in refractive index within the material. Birefringence isalso often used as a synonym for double refraction, the decomposition ofa ray of light into two rays when it passes through a birefringentmaterial. Crystals with anisotropic crystal structures are oftenbirefringent, as well as plastics under mechanical stress. Biaxialbirefringence describes an anisotropic material that has more than oneaxis of anisotropy. For such a material, the refractive index tensor n,will in general have three distinct eigenvalues that can be labeledn_(α), n_(β) and n_(γ). Both radiant and conductive energy from theserpentine wire is transmitted to the micaceous element. Thebirefringent characteristics of the micaceous material can be employedto transmit a subset of wavelengths generated by the serpentine wirewhile filtering out other wavelengths. The emitter of certain embodimentemploys a sheath of stainless steel that protects the micaceous materialfrom being damaged. This conductive sheath transfers energy with nosignificant wavelength translation. By employing this combination ofcomponents (e.g., serpentine wire, micaceous material, stainless steelsheath), energy generated by the serpentine wire with a peak wavelengthof about 2 micrometers can have the peak wavelength be taken to about 20micrometers. A wavelength of 10 micrometers or less to 100 micrometersor more, e.g., about 20 micrometers, can advantageously be used inconnection with asphalt applications to improve the characteristics ofthe asphalt. The thickness or other characteristics of the micaceousmaterial can be adjusted to provide a targeted wavelength or range ofwavelengths to the surface.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device has a 2-foot wide by12-foot long intercavity dimension, configured similar to a hood, inwhich a ceramic insulation is mounted. The emitter elements areadvantageously 1 foot by 1 foot. E.g., a 2-foot wide device can beconfigured to be 2 elements wide by 12 elements long, for a total of 24elements. Such elements can have a Watt density of roughly 14 Watts persquare inch, at full energy, capable of being powered by, e.g., agenerator that can deliver 250 kW. An example of a portable devicesuitable for use in repairing asphalt pavement is depicted in FIG. 3Aand FIG. 3B.

In some embodiments, an emitter assembly may comprise a structuralframe, a power source, a power interrupting mechanism, anelectromagnetic radiation emitter, and a positioning system. The emitterassembly may be several feet wide, several feet long, and several feethigh. In some embodiments, the emitter assembly is approximately 12 feetwide, 8 feet long, and approximately 2 feet high. The emitter assemblymay be other sizes as well and the scope of the invention is not limitedby the size of the emitter assembly. The frame may support one or moreof the other components.

The frame may comprise structurally adequate members such as metalsupports, beams, rails, or other such structures. The frame may beconfigured to prevent significant deformation when in use or intransport. The frame may be designed to support at least part of theweight of the various components. In some embodiments, the framecomprises one or more beams. The beams may comprise a metal, wood, orother material that can adequately support the weight of the components.The beams may comprise aluminum or steel, and in some embodiments it maybe advantageous to use a material that is both lightweight and strong.One or more beams may be disposed on either side of the frame and oneither end of the frame. The beams on the side may be connectedvertically through brackets, plates, or other attachment mechanisms. Thepieces may be welded together, or bolts may be utilized to connect thepieces. One or more beams may traverse the frame from one side to theother side, or from front to back, and may be configured to providesupport or an attachment mechanism to other components. One or morebeams that traverse the frame may be disposed near the bottom of theframe, such that one or more of the electromagnetic radiation emittersmay be attachable to the beams. The frame may attach to one or morewheels, directly or indirectly, which may assist the frame in beingtransported.

In some embodiments the frame may be configured to prevent bending,sagging, or twisting even while traversing uneven terrain. The frame mayprovide a robust structure that supports one or more components of theassembly. Because the assembly may be used in a variety of environments,it may be advantageous for the frame and assembly to be resistant todeformation and deterioration when in transport and in use. Forinstance, the assembly may be used on roadways that are uneven. It maybe advantageous for the frame to withstand transport over an unevensurface. As another example, the frame and assembly may be used in theoutdoors in remote locations. It may be advantageous for the frame andassembly to not only be resistant to damage during the transport to theremote location, but also for the frame and assembly to be resistant tothe effects of weather while at that location. Even during adverseconditions and extensive travel and transport, it may be advantageousfor the bottom surface of the frame to remain a generally consistentdistance from a road or other surface over which the assembly may beplaced. Therefore, the frame may be sufficiently robust and resistant todeformation or damage in a variety of conditions.

In order to transport the assembly, the frame may comprise an attachmentmechanism that may allow the assembly to be pulled. In some embodiments,the frame comprises rings or hitches that are connectable to a vehicle.The vehicle may be configured to pull the assembly over short distancesover the roadway, or longer distances to transport the assembly to thework site.

A power source may be connected or connectable to at least part of theemitter assembly. The power source may comprise a generator and maycomprise a diesel generator or other power source. The power source maybe disposed on the emitter assembly or maybe connectable to theassembly. The power source may be part of a second assembly positionableadjacent the emitter assembly. The function of the power source may beto provide power or electricity to a power distribution device that maybe located on the emitter assembly or on the frame. In some embodiments,a diesel powered electric generator may be disposed on a platform ormovable trailer that may be connectable to the emitter assembly.

The power distribution device may be disposed on at least part of theemitter assembly and may sit on at least part of the frame. The powerdistribution device may comprise one or more circuit breakers or otherpower interrupting mechanisms. The power distribution device may beconfigured such that it receives power from the power source anddistributes it to one or more electromagnetic radiation emitter panels.In some embodiments, the power distribution device comprises a metal boxand circuit breakers, which may be similar to those found in commercialor residential building units. The power distribution device may betemporarily or permanently connected to the frame, and in someembodiments, may be bolted to a surface of the frame.

The frame may support one or more electromagnetic radiation emitters.The emitters may be approximately 12 inches by 24 inches, and more thanone emitter may be disposed on an emitter module. One or more modulesmay be disposed on the emitter assembly. In some embodiments, theassembly comprises six modules, with each module measuring approximately4 feet by 4 feet. In some embodiments, each module comprises multipleemitter panels. The emitters may be generally flat, and may be disposedadjacent one or more other emitters. Each emitter panel may or may notabut a second emitter panel. Each emitter panel may be directly orindirectly electrically connected to the power interrupting mechanism,and may be electrically connected in parallel or in series with otheremitter panels.

The emitter modules may comprise a top plate, and the top plate may bedisposed on the top and side surfaces. The modules may further comprisea ceramic layer generally disposed underneath the top plate. An emitterpanel may be generally disposed beneath the ceramic layer. An electricalconnection from the emitter panel to the power interrupting mechanismmay travel through the ceramic layer and through the metal shell. Themodule may be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in agenerally downward direction, and may be configured to preventsubstantial electromagnetic radiation from being emitted in an upwarddirection. The module may also limit the amount of electromagneticradiation emitted to the side. It may be advantageous to at leastpartially limit the emissions of electromagnetic radiation in somedirections in order to prevent injury to persons located nearby.Further, it may be advantageous to generally direct the electromagneticradiation in a downward direction, so that the radiation is received bythe surface below the emitter assembly. During use the emitter assemblymay be positioned over a road or other surface, and the electromagneticradiation being emitted from the emitter panels may be directed at theroad or other surface.

In some embodiments, the panels and/or modules may be independentlyseparable from the emitter assembly. It may be advantageous to be ableto disconnect one or more emitter panels or modules from the rest of theassembly in order to replace or repair the panels or modules. There maybe other advantages as well to being able to separate portions of theassembly. The panels or modules may attach to one or more beams of theframe using bolts or other various attachment mechanisms. In someembodiments, the panels are bolted to a beam that traverses the framefrom front to back. The beams define openings, through which one mayaccess a bolt or other attachment device. Other methods of attaching thepanels to the frame or assembly may be possible and the scope of theinvention is not limited by the method of attaching the panels.

The emitter assembly may comprise a positioning system which maycomprise parts of the frame and wheels. The positioning system may alsocomprise attachments from which the emitter assembly may be connected toa supporting structure, such that the emitter assembly may at leastpartially suspend from the structure. In some embodiments, the emitterassembly comprises four wheels, with each wheel generally disposed atthe corners of the frame. More wheels, such as six or eight or othernumber, may be advantageous depending on the size of the emitterassembly. Each wheel may be connected to a wheel support and each wheelsupport may be configured to allow the height of the wheel, relative tothe frame, to be independently adjusted. Independently adjusting theheight of the wheel may allow the emitter assembly to be more accuratelypositioned above a road or other surface. By being able to moreaccurately position the emitter assembly above the surface, the distancebetween the emitter assembly and the road or surface may be moreuniform, and in some embodiments the emitter assembly may be moreeffective and consistent in transmitting the electromagnetic radiationfrom the emitter panels to the road or surface.

The positioning system, including wheels, may allow the assembly to bepositioned in various locations, and may be configured to allow theemitter assembly to be transported between different locations. In someembodiments, the positioning system may allow the emitter assembly to betranslated above the surface, before, during, or after use, eithercontinuously or discreetly, depending on user preference. For instance,the assembly may be moved continuously along the surface whileelectromagnetic radiation is being emitted from the emitting panels. Or,the assembly may emit electromagnetic radiation at a first location,then the assembly is moved to a second location, and then additionalelectromagnetic radiation is emitted. The positioning system may allowthe emitter assembly to be translated in a forward and back direction,in a side to side direction, or be rotated about an axis. The frame orother part of the emitter assembly, including the positioning system,may be configured to allow at least part of the frame to be connected toa vehicle such that the emitter assembly can be transported betweenlocations. In some embodiments, the assembly may be configured to beloaded onto a transporting device, such as a trailer, that may beconfigured to transport the assembly from a first location to a secondlocation.

A net frame is preferably attached to wheels on the outside of thedevice, to permit adjustment of the emitter within the cavity itself, orto permit adjustment of the height of the emitter over the pavement. Ina preferred embodiment, the emitter is provided in a cavityapproximately 6 inches deep, and a height of the emitter surface overthe pavement surface can be varied from as low as a quarter of an inchor as high as an inch or more. The emitter is preferably placed as closeto the surface of the pavement as is practical (e.g., <1 inch, or <0.5inches, or <0.25 inches) so as to minimize loss of energy viareflectance and/or refraction by the pavement surface. However, if thespacing is too close, imperfections in the pavement surface, or smoke ordislodged gummy residue, may cause damage to the emitter.

In various embodiments for pavement repair applications, an emitterdesign can be employed wherein multiple units (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, or 10 or more) are grouped together. For example, four units,each including a 3×3 emitter array, will provide 36 square feet ofemitter. Four units, each including a 4×6 emitter array, will provide 96square feet of emitter. It is generally preferred to employ a squarefootage of emitter that can be supported by a desired generator. 250 kWgenerators are generally preferred, as providing a good balance of powerand cost, but in certain embodiments larger generators can be employed,e.g., a 300 kW generator. Instead of a larger generator, two or moresmaller generators can be employed to provide adequate power for apreferred array size. In a preferred embodiment, a 250 kw generator canbe employed to power a 100 square foot emitter array that puts out 14watts per square inch. Two such generators can be provided on the sametug to power 250 square feet of emitter. In most paving applications,the width of the road to be repaired is approximately 12 feet, soemitter arrays or groups of emitter arrays having a width of 12 feet anda sufficient length to provide an appropriate amount of energy to thesurface are desirable.

In operation, circuits and sensors can be employed to identify obstaclesunderneath the emitter unit, e.g., by sensing reflected energy or heatbuildup, and can adjust the power to the emitter or the distance of theemitter from the pavement surface. Other sensors can detect the presenceof combusted organics, e.g., a laser that can detect a certain amount ofsmoke passing through its beam. If high temperature is detected, theemitter can be distanced from the pavement, power can be reduced, or thespeed at which the emitter passes over the surface can be decreased.Similarly, if the temperature detected is too low, the power of theemitter can be increased, it can be distanced from the surface, or thespeed at which the emitter passes over the surface can be increased.

In certain embodiment, the heat shuttle passes over the pavement,flashing off non-VOC components and bringing moisture in the pavement tothe surface, warming the mass of pavement. The pavement is then allowedto cool down to a preferred temperature for compression, at which time avibrating roller is passed over the surface. An advantage of the systemis that virtually no smoke is produced while operating the system. Theresulting pavement has a density similar to new pavement, butincorporates durable elastomers imparting superior performanceproperties.

Another advantage of the system is that the elastomer composition can beformulated to include a resealing adhesive that does not lose itsinternal cohesion (stickiness) over time. A road repaired using thesystem that begins to show signs of wear (microfissures or cracks) canbe readily repaired simply by passing the heat shuttle across thesurface (for, e.g., 30 seconds to 2 or 3 minutes), then passing acompaction roller over surface, which repairs and reseals the cracks.Should a crack appear in the pavement that is beginning to show signs ofwear, one simply passes the heat shuttle across the surface. A quickpass of the device of 30 seconds, followed by a roller pass, can resultin a robust crack repair. Preferably, such a heating/rolling treatmentis employed approximately every three to five years so as to maintainthe pavement in good condition for 20 years or more.

Upon exposure to a temperature of approximately 250° F., the elastomerof the reactive emulsion crosslinks, generating a bond (between newaggregate, between new aggregate and old pavement, or between portionsof old pavement) of sufficient strength such that a conventional roadvibratory roller can be applied over the top of the pavement surface toprovide a new driving surface. During rolling, the vibratory compactionredensifies all the defects in the old road bed.

In some embodiments, additional elastomer can be applied prior tovibratory compaction. The elastomer is preferably applied as a spraythat penetrates into the old road surface, filling cracks and crevicessuch that when vibratory rolling takes place it further bonds the oldpavement together as well as regions between the new material and theold material.

Rubber, e.g., ground tire filler, is a material commonly employed inasphalt pavements. It is a high energy-absorbing material. If it absorbstoo much energy too quickly, it will become a source of combustion andcan damage the emitter unit or emit fumes into the atmosphere.Accordingly, in some embodiments it is desirable to include a feedbackloop on each emitter panel (e.g., a 1 foot square panel) in an array, soas to continuously monitor the power density at the emitter's particularsetting and its effect on the pavement. Each emitter panel can beindependently operated so as to provide an appropriate amount of energyto the surface beneath. Because rubberized coating is commonly employedas crack sealer on old roads, it can be desirable to have such controlover each emitter panel.

To provide satisfactory pavement repair, the presence of irregularitiesand defects on the surface, such as cracks, fissures, low areas, and thelike, must be addressed. It is typically preferred to sweep off anythick cross-sections of dirt, to remove vegetation and to remove anyreflectors that are on the road. The presence of road paint, e.g., paintused for lane markers, generally does not present any issues as tooperation of the emitter, provided it is thin and does not containsubstances that may prevent uniform heating. The paint employed incrosswalks may contain substances that prevent uniform heating. In suchsituations, the crosswalk markings can be removed, the emitter can beoperated so as not to move over the markings, or the emitter is shut offwhen it goes over crosswalk markings (e.g., manually shut off, orautomatically shut off when markings are detected). Crosswalks thatcomprise a thick thermal plastic strip placed on the pavement caninhibit management of the delivery of energy into the deep pavement, andare desirably removed and reinstalled prior to pavement renovation, orsuch areas are avoided during renovation.

Irregularities and defects on the surface of the pavement can vary. Thesystems of various embodiments are particularly suited to the repair ofalligatored pavement. However, in some instances, it may be suitable forrepairing other damage. For example, the aged asphalt the surface canhave a boney, or rough look and texture, where large rocks haveessentially become islands rising above the lower sections of thepavement due to fine rock being dislodged. In some instances, fissuresor potholes that are in each up to two inches or more deep may bepresent. Severe irregularities and defects can be advantageouslyrepaired using a combination of stone and a formulated elastomer thatglues the stone together once it's cured. The elastomer is applied tothe surface and then cured using the emitter device. In certainembodiments, the coating can be as thin as one gallon or less perhundred square feet of stone and elastomer spread over the surface,e.g., a coating as thin as a few thousandths of an inch. In certainembodiments, a mixture of elastomer and aggregate can be blended to forma cold slurry that is spread over the surface to replace volume on adamaged or deteriorated road and then cured using the emitter device. Insuch embodiments, an initial application of heat prior to the emittercan be applied, e.g., open flame or other heating unit as describedelsewhere herein, that causes an initial flashing of volatile materialsfrom the cold slurry. This initiates some degree of curing, to preventadhesion of the slurry to the tires of the tow rig pulling the emitter.Alternatively, the tires, the driving unit and the emitter device, areconfigured so as to straddle the strip of pavement that is beingrepaired.

In the case of large and very long runs on highways, use of the systemcan minimize closure time, even under conditions wherein material isplaced and compacted, due to the rapid curing observed. In suchembodiments, an uncured surface of various stone sizes and elastomerrecipes can be spread across the surface and then the emitter device ispulled over it, simultaneously drying out and heating the adhesive onthe surface while also, at a different wavelength, pushing energy deepinto the pavement so that, based upon the prescription for the repair,simultaneous curing of the material on the top is achieved, along withand warming and stirring to a homogenized state the interstitial asphaltof the pavement from the surface down to a depth of 1, 2, or 3 inches ormore.

Following behind the emitter unit, a compactor can be employed once thepavement cools. Typical temperatures after emitter treatment are about250° F. Once heat dissipates such that the temperature is 180-190° F., acompacting roller can be applied. A single or 2-drum roller withvibrating capabilities can be run across the surface to compact thevoids that are in the old pavement, basically reducing it to a densitythat is similar to that of virgin pavement, and further compacting thenew material down into voids and irregular surfaces of the pavementwhere the binder emulsion, elastomer or other repair material had beenplaced. Multiple passes of a roller can be applied, e.g., two, three,four, or more passes. Three or four passes will provide the density andthe uniform fusion between the particles that results in a long-lastingpavement cross-section.

An elastomer (also referred to herein as binder, emulsion, or the like)of certain embodiments typically comprises four components, and is avery robust emulsion that can contain asphalts of various softeningpoints. The elastomer can also include butyl rubber, astyrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer, and a bioresin. The type ofbioresins, the concentration of the SBS polymer, and the molecularweight of the butyl rubber employed, along with other components of themixture, can be balanced to achieve a desired set of properties of theadhesive system in its cured form. The elastomer may, in certainembodiments, be employed as a mask to protect the underlying pavement asit goes through this heating cycle from oxidation at the surface,because the temperature is higher at the surface than it is deep downwhen the emitter system is applied to the pavement. In order to have asufficient amount of energy penetrating to depth so as to fluidize theasphalt, and to minimize hot spots, the elastomer can act as a mask toavoid oxidation of the asphalt where hot spots are present.

Depending upon the nature of the materials present in the elastomer, awavelength separating effect can occur in the elastomer as in themicaceous material, such that certain wavelengths are preferentiallytransmitted. The elastomer does not have to be a pure organic material;it can have materials like silicon dioxide or other materials that havea desired permittivity to a particular wavelength, or birefringent ortrirefringent properties. In some embodiments, these components arepresent in a volume as high as 50% in the elastomer composition;however, in certain embodiments lower amounts can be desirably employed,e.g., from 1-10% by volume, or from 10-50% by volume.

The relative permittivity of a material under given conditions reflectsthe extent to which it concentrates electrostatic lines of flux. Intechnical terms, relative permittivity is the ratio of the amount ofelectrical energy stored in a material by an applied voltage relative tothat stored in a vacuum. For example, the power source can be theemitter, the transmitting device can be the medium through which theemitter's energy is passing, and the load is what actually happens whenthe molecular structure of the various substances adsorbs the energy.The movement of energy from the emitter device through the pavementmedium can be described in terms of the relative permittivity of thepavement. For methodologies for creating a wavelength of energy,typically resistance wires are used for heating, e.g., wires comprisingiron, aluminum, titanium, platinum, etc., and a variety of othermaterials that create design resistance. The resistance of the flow ofelectric current creates radiant energy that falls in the bandwidth froma millimeter long down a few micrometers—the infrared (IR) microwaveboundary. Materials are heated depending upon the absorbent qualities ofpolar materials, like water, that they contain. There are certainbandwidths in the IR region that are highly condensed or captured withinthe structure of, e.g., water, and quick energy absorption is observed(e.g., a quick rise in terms of temperature as a result of that absorbedenergy). The IR microwave boundary can be considered that region betweenfar infrared and what can be considered extremely short microwaves(e.g., 1 millimeter). In various embodiments, it is desirable for theemitter to provide a substantial amount of energy in this region, e.g.,1, 5, 10, 15, or 20 nm up to 1, 2 or more millimeters, preferably fromabout 1000 nm to about 10000 nm, depending upon the asphalt/aggregate tobe heated, or from 2 microns to 1 millimeter. Many materials aresubstantially transparent to microwaves having a bandwidth that is downin the megahertz and kilohertz range, which are very long bandwidthscompared to IR heating. These microwaves penetrate materials readilythat do not have a high hydroelectric constant or a high relativepermittivity. The microwave transmissivity of common materials such asare used in the paving industry or other industries are well known orreadily ascertained by one of skill in the art. The refraction andreflection that takes place between the emitter surface and the surfaceof the emulsion when it is placed on the top of the pavement canlikewise be ascertained, so as to achieve a desired temperature profilein the pavement.

In an asphalt pavement surface contacted with energy having a peakwavelength of from about 1000 nm to about 10000 nm, or up to 20micrometers or more against the surface, the presence or absence of theemulsion on the surface can have a profound affect in terms of how muchenergy is refracted, reflected and, transmitted below the surface to theinterstices of the asphalt at, e.g., three inches in depth. Refractionis the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its medium. Itis essentially a surface phenomenon. Refraction is mainly in governanceof the law of conservation of energy. Momentum due to the change ofmedium results in the phase of the wave being changed, but its frequencyremains constant. As energy moves from the emitter to the surface of thepavement, the rate of movement remains the same, and the wavelengthremains the same; however, the incident wave is partially refracted andpartially reflected when it hits the surface. Snell's Law, also referredto as the Law of Refraction, is a formula that is used to describe therelationship between the angles of incidence and refraction. Refractionthat takes place at interface, e.g., a boundary between air and a solid,can exhibit a phenomenon referred to as an evanescent wave, wherein thewavelengths on one side of the boundary are partially reflected andpartially refracted. At the boundary, reflected energy or wavelengthscan come back from the substance, creating a chaotic collision ofelectromagnetic energy that is generally one-third of the wavelength.For either a narrow energy source such as a laser or a broad infraredradiant energy source coming to the surface of a solid, one is able tomeasure this perturbance and predict with a degree of accuracy how muchenergy is returned and how much is transmitted, which impacts the amountof energy transmitted into the pavement. An advantage of the emulsion onthe pavement surface is that it disrupts the organized formation of awave bouncing back out of the pavement, such that more energy can betransmitted into the pavement. Knowing the wavelength that is presentedto the pavement, the evanescence wave that is created, and thepermittivity of the material enables one to predict and control theheating characteristics of the pavement. The relative permittivity is anabsolute number for stone, for water, for the atmosphere of the voids inthe pavement, for the asphalt that is in the interstices. Whenconsidered together, one can analyze what the effect of a particularwavelength on its rate of movement through the pavement, e.g., throughthe use of conventional probes for determining energy levels andbandwidth changes. This permits the emitter and the materials employedin the emulsion to be selected such that the peak wavelength can bemanipulated to maximize energy absorption by the pavement or aggregateor asphalt emulsion/asphalt emulsion while minimizing consumption ofenergy in generating the electromagnetic radiation. For example, thewavelength can be manipulated to about a millimeter, which is in theterawatt range. In this range, the depth of penetration for the amountof energy that is used from the generator is profoundly improved, suchthat energy consumption is reduced.

For an emitter temperature that is at 750° F., and for an immediatesurface temperature, e.g., ⅓ of the wavelength below the emulsion layerthat is 55° F., within a few seconds, because it is time-dependent, atemperature at just below the surface, e.g., a millimeter below thesurface, is 75° F. Moving down progressively in increments of ½ inch toone inch, the emitter temperature versus the surface temperature versusthe temperature at various depths can be analyzed. This power depth lossof the energy as it enters the pavement from the irradiated surface canbe compensated for by manipulating the surface energy, the Watt density,the wavelength, the effects of evanescence wave paths, and thewavelength of energy passing through the pavement so as to increase theuniformity of heating from the surface to a desired depth (e.g., 3inches). As top temperature threshold, it is desirable to avoid theformation of organic gases, which indicates that the material has gonepast the threshold of maintaining its original molecular structure. Ifgas formation is not apparent, as indicated by the absence of smoke, thepower can be increased; however, that is not the only factor that shouldbe considered. The other factor is a desire to minimize the amount ofpower that it takes to get the energy as deep as it needs to be (e.g.,as can be determined by characterizing how deep the voids are that arepart of the flaws in the pavement so that it can be determined how longthe unit has to stay over a certain spot with a particular configurationto reach that depth). One must also achieve a temperature such that whena roller is applied to the heated pavement, it is fluidized and willcompress to eliminate voids, whereby increased densification andhomogenization of the repaired pavement is achieved.

In terms of relative permittivity, that of water, for instance, is 80times higher than that of rock, which is 7. Asphalt's relativepermittivity is similar to that of water—60-70 times higher than that ofrock. Rock can be considered substantially microwave transparent. Thismeans 95% of the pavement cross-section is essentially transparent tomillimeter wavelengths. Referring back to Snell's Law, the more obliquethe angle of the radiation coming to the surface from its boundary zone(critical angle incidence), the higher the refraction and the higher thereflection. The angle of incidence of the radiation can therefore bemanipulated to adjust the amount of energy transmitted. The far IR—nearmicrowave wavelength is going to interface a solid surface at a muchmore direct angle, such that for a microwave transparent material likestone, some IR energy that is quickly absorbed by the aggregate in theinterstices can be desirable for heating (see, e.g., TABLE 2).

In various embodiments, it is desired to move energy from the emittersurface to 1, 2, or 3 inches deep in the pavement, in the shortestamount of time without destroying or otherwise significantly damagingthe materials in the upper region. The emitter system can enable this tobe achieved. In contrast, heating with gas-fired, open-flamed propanethat generates primarily IR radiation, e.g., with an uncontrolled peakwavelength, results in excess surface heating—smoke coming off thepavement, indicating destruction of organic pavement constituents suchas rubber or asphalt. The components' molecular weights can benegatively impacted, causing the damaged portions to lose waterresistance, adhesiveness, and other desirable properties. The emittersystem also results in reduced fuel costs, compared to conventionalcombustion systems, which are impractical to tune for peak wavelength byadjusting, e.g., air/fuel mixtures, and are extremely inefficient interms of power consumption per unit of energy transmitted to thepavement.

The composite structure of the pavement is 95% aggregate that exhibitsmicrowave transparency, whereas 75-78% of the remaining 5% is in theform of polar molecules that are affected dramatically by contact withfar IR—near microwave radiation. In use, the emitter is turned on anddrawn across the pavement. The entire continuum of the wavelengths andhow energy is moving through the pavement is in a state of flux, meaningthat some water molecules will be lost from the system. This changes thepotential for an evanescence wave, as the polar structures that are inthe emulsion are removed by evaporation, thus affecting the transmissionof energy. In addition, energy is stored within the rock and theinterstices of the asphalt, which also changes the way that the energymoves through the substrate. It is therefore desirable to have a systemconfigured to monitor such conditions, and that can also utilizefeedback on how different Watt densities, different emitters, andchanges in the components that are employed in the emulsion can maximizethe use of the energy while minimizing potential damage to the pavementduring homogenization of the interstices down to 1, 2, or 3 inches indepth and while minimizing energy consumption.

By analyzing data from experiments with different paving materials anddifferent emulsion compositions, emitters can be constructed that workwell with conventional asphalt concrete pavements, and that consume lessthan 20% of the power of heaters in conventional use for heatingpavement, or even less energy (e.g., 5%). Such conventional methodsinclude burning liquid propane gas using a ceramic blanket, or the moresophisticated open flame or catalyzed gas systems.

In one embodiment, the emulsion includes a birefringent or trirefringentmaterial, and is provided in the form of a pre-manufactured film. Thefilm is rolled over the surface of the pavement, e.g., from a spool, andthen the emitter system is run over the top, yielding a sealed surface.It is desirable to avoid driving too much energy into isolated spots inthe pavement where the energy is absorbed quickly, e.g., due to thehigher permittivity of asphalt, water or other organic material such asrubberized asphalt. This can negatively impact the molecular structureof the elastomer. The elastomer begins to melt and flow over the surfaceof the asphalt, such that blowing off of water or other volatiles isavoided. This results in a zero (defined by EPA as less than 1%)volatile organic carbon (VOC) repair process.

The emitter systems typically generate about 0.1% VOC, which is highlydesirable from an environmental standpoint and superior to manyconventional processes which generate smoke and release large amounts ofVOC.

Rock or very fine aggregate can be coated with elastomer and theelastomer can be pre-cured. The rock, which serves as a carrier of theelastomer, can then be placed due to its dry, free-flowing nature. Bypre-firing the elastomer on a stone, e.g., in a plant, one can minimizethe amount of energy one has to use in the field. Such a mixture wouldoffer advantages over cold-mix asphalt in terms of ease of handling inthe field. The material is pre-dried, taken to a jobsite, spread out,and then heated using the emitter system to yield a quality asphaltconcrete pavement surface.

Oligopolymerization

In some embodiments, the radiation emitted by the heat shuttle canoptionally be modulated to emit at least some radiation in the farIR—near microwave region, in addition to the 1000-10000 nm peakwavelength radiation employed in heating the pavement or aggregate orasphalt emulsion. This focuses heat on the asphalt between aggregateinstead of the aggregate itself, essentially preheating the asphalt.This efficiently warms and disturbs the polar molecules of asphalt inthe voids and interstices in the pavement without dehydrogenation of theasphalt. The approximately 100 μm ductile asphalt coating on the rocksurface becomes turbulent and is thus mixed with the more brittle andshort chain molecules occupying a volume beyond 100 μm from the stonesurface. The process can also be employed to polymerize oligomers(approximately 2-150 repeating units) and other broken polymer chains inthe aged asphalt, causing them to link into longer chains wherebyductility is improved. This process can be referred to asoligopolymerization, and can be utilized in a process of homogenizationby liquid asphalt oligopolymerization. Core tests indicate that pavementthus treated is as much as 95% equivalent (or even more in certaincircumstances) to the virgin asphalt binder originally found in thepavement in terms of: compressive strength, flexural compressivestrength, and shear strength, compared to mere heating withoutoligopolymerization. Infrared radiation transitions to the microwavefrequency at a wavelength of about 1 millimeter. When the wavelengthgets shorter than 1 millimeter, the radiation is considered farinfrared. Terahertz radiation, also called submillimeter radiation,terahertz waves, or THz, is electromagnetic radiation with frequenciesbetween the high-frequency edge of the millimeter wave band, 300gigahertz (3×10¹¹ Hz), and the low frequency edge of the far-infraredlight band, 3000 GHz (3×10¹² Hz). Corresponding wavelengths of radiationin this band range from 1 mm to 0.1 mm (or 100 μm). Because terahertzradiation begins at a wavelength of one millimeter and proceeds intoshorter wavelengths, it is sometimes known as the submillimeter band,and its radiation as submillimeter waves, especially in astronomy.Terahertz radiation occupies a middle ground between microwaves andinfrared light waves. For inducing oligopolymerization it is preferredto employ radiation wavelengths of from 10,000 nm, 15,000, 50,000,100,000 nm, or 500,000 nm to 1,000 μm or more, e.g., from 15,000 nm to1.1 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.7 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.9 mm,2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, or 5 mm or more.

Comparison of Systems of the Embodiments to Conventional Hot in PlaceRecycle (HIR)

The systems of the embodiments are noninvasive methods of restoring thepavement to the highest possible physical properties—properties superiorto those of conventionally repaired pavement, such that the asphaltexhibits characteristics similar to, or better than, virgin asphalt(“rejuvenated asphalt”).

Hot In-Place Recycle (HIR) is the conventional method for repairing agedand alligatored asphalt pavement. HIR is described in detail in Chapter9 of “Pavement Recycling Guidelines for State and Local GovernmentsParticipant's Reference Book”, Publication No. FHWA-SA-98-042 publishedDecember 1997 by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal HighwayAdministration, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated byreference herein. Virtually all pavement heating employed in thisre-construction/maintenance method utilizes an LPG or NO energy source.In LPG or NO energy source heating processes, the gas is mixed with airand ignited within an outer shroud. The mixing and ignition can bedeployed as an open flame or controlled within a tube or ceramic blanketemitter. Whether open flame or within a controlled chamber, the surfacetemperature is generally above 1500° F. and emits an electromagneticbandwidth which is less than 2000 nm (2.0 microns). Where the combustionis retarded by a catalyst, the emitter temperature(s) can drop to as lowas 600° F. and exhibit a bandwidth as long as 100 microns. While the useof a catalyzed flame with a longer wavelength would be beneficial tomore effectively warming aged asphalt, fumes from the process willquickly contaminate the chemistry of the catalyst; rendering itineffective.

While gas fired technology (GFT) and the diesel-generator-drivenelectric heat from emitter expend nearly equivalent btu's in fuelconsumption per unit of wattage output, the tangible, emitter frequencycontrol of the emitter system maximizes energy absorption by the heatedsurface; thereby resulting in up to a five-fold reduction in btu'sconsumed, as compared to gas fired emitters, to achieve the same massunit/temperature rise.

Low-to-no smoke is associated with the emitter operation during thepavement heating cycle, since the temperature of the pavement surfacecan be carefully regulated to not exceed a ‘blue smoke’ temperature. Incontrast, the GFT must overheat the surface temperature (often >300°F.—well in excess of a ‘blue smoke’ threshold) to drive energysufficiently deep (1.5″-2.0″) to achieve at least a 200° F., sub-surfacesoftening temperature; thereby facilitating the HIR scarifying and/orplaning of the upper pavement surface. Turning the GST on and off as amethod of regulating temperature overrun for the pavement surface is onecommercial method of minimizing the occurrence of ‘blue smoke’emissions, but the continual ramping back up from the ‘off’ modesubstantially increases fuel consumption costs and CO₂ generation fromthe heating unit.

This air emission advantage relating to generation of ‘blue smoke’,coupled with the extra fuel used to warm the pavement with indiscreet,reduced radiant energy absorption, results in at least an eight foldincrease in CO₂ emissions by GFT, as compared to the emitter technologyof the embodiments.

Burns to operators are less likely with the emitter technology of theembodiments than with the gas fired technology. Explosions arenon-existent with emitter technology of the embodiments, but are alwaysa significant threat when operating with flammable gas as in a GFTprocess. State-of-art, electrical equipment employed in the emittersystem prevents workers exposure to electrical shock.

GHT/HIR processes and/or other short wavelength IR electrical devicesinevitably overheat and accelerate the oxidation of surface asphaltduring the process of repairing the old road surface by disturbing it,mixing it with new material and covering it. The emitter technology ofthe embodiments results in ‘gentle’, regulated heating that preventssuch accelerated oxidation from occurring. A more thorough surfacepreparation eliminates the adulterating effect of dirt and organicdebris, thereby substantially reducing the need for any scarifying ofthe old road surface as the vibratory compaction of the new overlaymaterial adequately ‘mixes’ these two substrates in a uniform, highperformance, fused monolith.

A newly applied lift of composite material comprising AROS™ or otherground tire rubber, bio-resin enriched, high carbon pitch and stone,installed as a cold process slurry or cold mix asphalt, can be fullyfused to the thermally activated existing road surface without thedamaging effects of excessive temperatures to the binder chemistry.Materials added to the GFT are inevitably exposed to higher, oftendifficult to regulate temperatures which prematurely oxidize thechemistry. Therefore the final surface and underlying road surfacerestoration can be expected to last significantly longer.

Characteristics of Treated Pavement in the Field

Fatigue life and stress life are properties of asphalt pavements. Stressis a unit of force per area. Strain is deformation caused by stress.Fatigue life is the number of stress cycles of specified characterbefore a specimen or system sustains failure of a specified nature.Stress life curve plots the interrelationship between a system'sspecific stress quanta and range, and the strain product thereuponimparted; resulting in a predicted time to system failure. Accordingly,these measurements are of interest in determining useful life or servicelife of pavement.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established that goodhighway design practices shall utilize aggregate that conforms togradation bands and at percentages prescribed by the “0.45 Power Curve”,and that four specific categories of tests shall be performed on thosegradations. Those tests evaluate the stone for: 1) toughness andabrasion resistance, 2) durability and soundness, 3) angularity and 4)presence of minerals not otherwise considered aggregate singularitiesaka “sand equivalencies”. Aggregate nomenclature divides rock which willnot pass through a #8 sieve as coarse and that which will pass as“fines”. By mass, for dense graded, hot mix pavement the 0.45 PowerCurve shows that about 50% of the aggregate are fines and 50% are coarseaggregate. Coarse aggregate typically has made it through the crushingprocess because it is much tougher than the fines. It is much tougherbecause it doesn't have many micro-fissures or tiny cracks which lead tofracturing under the high pressures associated with rock pit crushingoperations.

The requirement that aggregate be tested for durability and soundness istargeting the detection of micro-fissures in the aggregate as a weakpoint in road durability. Water which works its way into such fissuresduring the service life of the road will chemically weaken the stone orfreeze and break it open. Typically the coarse stone is not subjected tothe test. The test for durability and soundness consists of soaking theaggregate ‘fines’ in a dilute solution of either sodium sulfate ormagnesium sulfate. The sulfate salt, upon entering the micro-fissure,expands, producing a similar effect to ice, thereby enlarging themicro-fissure. After rinsing the soaked stone in fresh water apercentage of the stone is flushed. If too much stone is lost in thisprocess then the stone is disqualified for use. The presence ofmicro-fissures in the pavement mixture is a principal contributingfactor to moisture sensitivity and premature fatigue degradation of theroad. The homogenization process, to a great extent, corrects thepresence of this weak link.

Asphalt is composed of two phases. The continuous phase comprisesmaltenes and the suspended phase comprises asphaltenes. Maltenes areusually low in carbon by mass and linear in molecular arrangement withmolecular weights of less than 500. Maltenes have large areas of freemolecular space in proportion to their hydrocarbon chain volume.Asphaltenes are much higher in carbon content and most generally are ofa molecular weight ranging between 5,000 and 45,000. Asphaltenes aretightly wound with low free molecular space relative to their molecularvolume.

It has been discovered that asphaltenes have a propensity to behave likea capacitor, surface storing electrons. Particularly during the hightemperature, short IR wavelength excursion that the asphalt is subjectedto in the preparation of hot mix asphalt in the 350° F. to 400° F.region. This electron storage creates repelling polarity betweensimilar, highly charged asphaltene particles. This polarity induces apartial, artificial phase segregation of these high molecular weightparticles. As the partial, artificial phase segregated asphalt is coatedon the aggregate at the hot mix asphalt plant, this segregated conditionbecomes fixed within the shoreline of the rough stone surface. Thisimbalance within the two phases of the asphalt created in theconventional hot mix plant becomes a permanent obstacle to optimalcompaction and long term durability of the thermoplastic binder. Phasesegregation is an obstacle to compaction. A homogeneous asphalt behaveslike a lubricant allowing the stone matrix to slide into maximumcompaction whereas a stratified asphalt behaves like a contaminated(e.g., grit filled) lubricant and resists the slipping action needed toallow the rigid surfaces to easily glide to full embedment. Years oftesting have verified that as little as a one percent air void densityreduction in dense graded asphalt concrete can improve ruttingresistance by over 100%.

Phase segregation is also an obstacle to long term resistance tooxidation as atmospheric moisture and electromagnetic energy perpetuallywork to strip and replace the most weakly bound hydrogen atoms from thehydrocarbon chains of the maltene structure. As hydrogen atoms arestripped both the ductility and cohesive strength of the asphalt isdiminished; leading to embrittlement. A uniform dispersion of the veryrobust asphaltenes acts to attenuate this stripping action as it will,by its capacitive nature, attract and store much of the energy biasdelivered from the combined effect of rolling loads, sun loads andwater. The technology of various embodiments can be employed tore-homogenize this hot-mix-plant-induced phase segregation to a highlevel of uniformity. This restored phase uniformity halts acceleratedfatigue degradation due to excessive, void-induced structural integrityand electro-chemical dehydrogenation.

Asphalt is typically strengthened by melting rubber and otherthermoplastic polymer modifiers into the bitumen at the hot mix plantprior to coating the aggregate. This polymer modification is usuallyaccompanied by some form of crosslinking within the polymer modifier tomore fully develop, upon cooling, an interconnected, crystalline gridwithin which the amorphous bitumen may be stabilized.

The binder coating on the stone in a hot mix plant setting is in the 3-5mil range. Typically, once the coated stone is placed and compacted, thecrosslink exists only within the coating on each singularity. Little tono post placement crosslinking between the individual coated particlestakes place. The inter-crosslinking performs its task of stabilizing thebitumen but since the potential for intra-crosslinking between thecoated surface of the compacted aggregate is disrupted by: 1) the lossof mobility as the binder cools while 2) being simultaneously shearedinto new, relative positions, the probability that any stabilizingcrystallinity can be formed is low. This condition leaves theinterstitial load transference between coated moieties at a diminishedoptimal quanta. Emitter heating and dielectric stirring provides anenvironment to at least partially correct this condition with aresultant improved resistance to fatigue degradation.

Asphalt concrete fails as its flexibility gives way to embrittlement.Embrittlement results when hydrocarbon chains in the continuous maltenephase are de-hydrogenated through oxidative cleavage. It is thecombination of atmospheric moisture in the form of rain, fog, and snowmultiplied by the presence of surges of electro-magnetic energyaccompanying solar and mechanical loads that drives this destruction.Embrittlement fatigue in the upper one-half inch of pavement occurs morerapidly; often at two to ten times the fatigue rate below that surfacedepth. Not only are the oxidative forces more concentrated by thetearing action of tires, snow removal equipment and surface debris butdirect solar load in the form of sunlight and wind places stress uponthe surface which result in rapidly developing cracks leading to theformation of potholes, long fissures and block cracking, also referredto as “alligatoring”.

The emitter wavelength can be adjusted to effectively and rapidlypenetrate this upper crust region, disrupting the effects of thesesurface stressors and thereby extending the accepted stress life curvefor surface deterioration. Cross-sections of pavement below this upperhalf-inch crust undergo a slower but often more persistent oxidativeprocess. Moisture, which might quickly evaporate at the surface thusterminating its oxidative threat, becomes trapped in lower pavementvoids for long periods. This encapsulation allows it to slowly butpersistently attack the interstitial binder flexibility. However, ofgreater fatigue consequence by moisture is the attack at thebinder-stone interface where direct contact between water and theplethora of reactive hydroxyl sites resident in all aggregate results ina rapid binder delamination.

Often “near new” pavement (pavement still in its first three years frominstallation), will have a superior driving surface but began to spalland break apart at between 1 to 3 inches deep. This is caused by thedelaminating effect of trapped moisture finding its way to thebinder-stone interface and reacting with the hydroxyl groups on theaggregate surface. The emitter's adjustable, deep pavement penetratingwavelength can, non-invasively, interrupt this accelerated fatiguedegradation process; significantly extending the useful life of thepavement.

Thermal pumping is a term which describes the in-situ movement offluidized, hot asphalt (as it expands under an outside heat source) fromthe confines of micro-fissures within the fine aggregate in pavement.This cavity dwelling binder was first absorbed during the hot mix plantblending but is coaxed out into the interstitial air voids of thepavement matrix. This asphalt, as well as the asphalt coating the first100 microns thickness from the stone surface, have been shown to beunchanged from the original installed chemistry. Warming and stirring,plus re-introducing, these virgin reservoirs of ductile, highly cohesivebinder, through the use of selective bandwidths of energy which optimizea dipolar response, significantly improves the flexibility of asphaltconcrete.

Phase segregated binder throughout the aged asphalt concrete matrix isbathed with an emitter supplied bandwidth of energy which is between1,000× to 100,000× longer than the near IR emitted bandwidth of the openflame heating used in conventional hot mix plants. This long wavelength,‘gentle’ heating causes a dielectric relaxation of the asphaltenesallowing them to re-integrate into a uniform homogeneity. Once thishomogeneity is restored the binder becomes: 1) more oxidation resistantand 2) a much superior lubricant to the slippage of rock under are-compacting effort.

Vibratory compaction of a properly emitter treated road cross-sectioncan reliably reduce air void densities from a typical 7% to an improved4.5-5% range. Between 1″ and 3″, the core temperatures accompanyingthese homogenization changes is in the 240-300° F. range. Without thislubricating effect, heavy vibratory compaction attempts have proven toonly break rock and damage the pavement. Re-heating aged pavement tosimilar pavement core temperatures with short wavelength, IR heaters donot result in this significant beneficial response. Air void densityreduction not only improves the pavements resistance to mechanicalrutting but it also tightens the voids into which moisture can migrate.The fluidization at the rock surface improves a re-wetting of the binderupon the rock surface as a result of the dual action from the increaseof interstitial pressure upon compaction and the dipole reaction of theelectromagnetic field.

Hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement preparation is a HEAT+MIX+INSTALLdynamic. The methods of certain embodiments follow a MIX+INSTALL+HEATdynamic. This difference has a dramatic, positive effect on fatigue lifeextension in addition to the improvements above referenced through theuse of the technology of various embodiments on the underlying, agedasphalt. Use of adhesive systems multiplies system effectiveness indelaying fatigue degradation of new, virgin material and/or a mixture ofold milled pavement augmented by mixing with new, virgin material.

Adhesive can be provided in a waterborne emulsion form. Numerousversions of the chemistry are commercially available from Coe Polymer,Inc., of San Jose, Calif. Compounding the liquid onto virgin aggregateis preferably achieved by belt or augur feeding a metered flow of gradedstone into a conventional dual shaft, counter rotating pug mill,whereupon the liquid adhesive is sprayed at a pre-determined rate. Asthe damp, coated stone exits the pug mill it may be fed directly: 1)into a conventional paving machine and thereby placed upon the receivingsurface of the road, 2) into a short term storage bin for transfer to ajob site, 3) onto a stockpile for storage or air drying or 4) through adrying device which eliminates the moisture. The binder chemistry may beadjusted to accommodate a successful processing under any of these fourmethods of stone coating; however, method 4) is generally preferred.

Superior asphalt adhesive performance can be achieved with a binderchemistry that: 1) fully wets the irregularities of the stone surface,2) covalently bonds to all naturally occurring, surface —OH groups, 3)upon water evaporation inter-crosslinks to absolute insolubility, 4)remains a heat flowable thermoplastic but only becomes plastic attemperatures higher than 200° F., 5) can be applied to stone thensubjected to dehydration but thereafter retain sufficient functionalityfor future intra-crosslinking when tightly packed together with othersimilarly processed stone, 6) after placement through a paving device,to achieve a double crosslink by thermal or chemical activation and 7)remains flexible to 0° F. while still retaining thermoplastic behaviorwithin the temperature performance range specified. To achieve theseseven characteristics, a two coat process has been devised. AdhesivePart 1, at approximately 60% solids content, is applied onto the virginstone surface at a wet film thickness of about two mils as it passesthrough a pug mill; then immediately flash dried and cross-linked ontothe inorganic surface of the aggregate. In a continuous operation thenow dried, thin coated moiety receives adhesive Part 2, alsoapproximately 60% solids, in a similar application and drying manner;whereupon it is then transferred to storage. Part 1 adhesive maintainsreactive functionality, which immediately self-crosslinks upon contactwith Part 2 adhesive. Part 1 adhesive achieves performancecharacteristics 1), 2), 3), and 4). Part 2 adhesive continues to achieveperformance characteristic 4), but is the principal provider ofperformance characteristics 5), 6), 7), and 8).

After implementation of the above process, the coated stone may bestored in bulk stockpiles indefinitely without self-adhering at ambienttemperature. Thereafter it may be shipped by any conventional means tobe placed and compacted onto the receiving surface. Once partiallycompacted, the emitter device is rolled over the surface whereupon theemitter wavelength is tuned to activate the functionality of thereactive groups within Part 2 adhesive, thereby completing a doublecrosslink. The pavement cross-section, when activated by the emitterduring the second crosslink typically achieves a temperature in therange of 325° F. to 350° F. As it cools to about 275° F. it is compactedto final density.

The deployment of the technology, beyond the prescriptive preparation ofthe coated stone, is manifold. For example, old pavement, after removalof surface debris and dirt embedded in open cracks, may be homogenized,thereby warming the pavement to a temperature of up to 300° F. at adepth of up to 3″. Once the pavement is warmed and the binder thereinhas been stirred, a sprayable binder and stone slurry may be injected orcalendered into surface cracks of the pavement. While still warm above250° F., the pavement may be vibratory compacted to a uniform, defectfree, weather resistant surface. A rough, buckled or rutted pavementprofile may require surface milling to achieve a desired ride quality.Once the emitter has rolled over the surface and achieved a minimumpavement temperature of 250° F. in the region to be milled the removalmay commence without damage to the stone within the milled pavementmatrix. Upon the removal of this milled material it may be thenimmediately re-mixed at the job site with a previously prepared bindercoated stone and placed back onto the pavement surface through a pavingmachine for compaction and final crosslinking. This will save a lot ofmoney by reducing the demand for imported material. Conventional coldmilling damages stone but after grading out the recycled asphaltpavement (RAP) it may be mix with a binder coated stone and reinstalledas outlined herein.

Whenever the utilization of old road grindings is preferred, aftergrading to the appropriate sieve spectrum, any combination of sitecoating of these grindings and blending with binder coated aggregate maybe initiated with improved results over conventional methods; but thefinal installed pavement mat must be heat activated with the emitterprior to compacting to assure that the adhesive is fully developed.

A pre-manufactured ⅛″-½″ thick road plating composition of graded stoneand binder may be manufactured in long rolls or sheets at an offsitelocation. The sheets can be assembled into an elastomer binding ofapproximately 1 mm thickness then transferred to the point ofapplication as, for example, 6′-0″ wide sections which are paved upon apre-prepared dilapidated road surface. Thereafter, the emitter rollsover the newly installed wearing surface and irradiate both the old roadbase and the new sheet such that a vibratory compaction can then fusethe structure together. A binder primer or levelling course can first beinstalled, in certain embodiments, to provide an improved surface.

TractionSeal Micro

TractionSeal Micro is a friction enhancing fog seal-seal coat. Thetechnology is derived as a gel binder which is added to water then apre-packaged stone (fog seal −150/325 or seal coat −50/200) is mixedtherein. The gel may be mixed to create a fivefold increase in coatingvolume. This means that for every gallon of gel up to 5 gallons of readyto use sealer is made. The liquid compound is quick drying and providesa scuff tolerant, highly water and fuel resistant, permanently black,skid resistant surface. The high softening point binder retains anengineered, micro-stone composite, exhibiting aerospace derived, solidphase auto-regenerative cohesion. This means that when an oxidative,thermal or mechanical load damages the composite matrix it will, uponone cooling-heating cycle, self-repair the remaining internal binder.The binder technology wicks into the porous, brittle upper asphaltregion of pavement, replenishing lost aromatic resins. This restoresadhesive ductility and upon curing creates a shrink-wrapped, stonematric wearing shield; protecting the old pavement surface. The fog sealmay be spray applied by distributor truck. The seal coat may be spray orsqueegee applied with conventional equipment.

Hamburg Wheel Test

The Hamburg wheel test can be used as a screening tool for hot mixasphalt. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test originated in Germany in themid-1970s. The test examines the susceptibility of the HMA to ruttingand moisture damage. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test uses a steel wheelwith weight that rolls over the sample in a heated water bath. Adesignated number of passes are performed on the sample, e.g., 20,000passes or more. The rut depth is measured by the machine periodically,usually every 20, 50, 100 or 200 passes. 20,000 passes typically takearound 8-10 hours. Several analytics are examined with the Hamburg WheelTracking Test including post-compaction consolidation, creep slope,stripping inflection point, and stripping slope. The Federal HighwayAdministration has published a report providing details of the test (seePublication Number: FHWA-RD-02-042 dated October 2000) and an evaluationof the Hamburg test for Caltrans was published by UC Davis (see Qing Luand John T. Harvey, Research Report: UCPRC-RR-2005-15 dated November2005). In practical terms, the test can be employed on any particularasphalt pavement, particularly a pavement to which a fresh wearingsurface has been applied, to determine what, if any damage has occurredbelow the visible surface of the pavement. The Hamburg test can beemployed to predict whether the resurfaced pavement will maintain a longservice life or whether it will rapidly degrade.

FIG. 5 depicts a Hamburg Wheel Test apparatus employed to test selectedasphalt pavement cores. The apparatus includes a left dock and a rightdock, each dock holding a front and a back asphalt pavement core to besubject to testing. The core in the front left dock was designated L3,the core in the rear left dock was designated L9, the core in the frontright dock was designated R3, and the core in the rear right dock wasdesignated R9, as also referred to in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. The L6 and R6designations were used to refer to the center point between the L3 andL9, and the R3 and R9 cores, respectively. The cores subject to testingwere laboratory prepared cores.

FIG. 6 provides a comparison of attributes of various cores tested.Checkmarks indicate which design mix variables are identical for thecores tested (including stone package, binder grade, binder weight,final core temperature, and % air voids). Application Sequence 1+2indicated that the stone was coated with a binder and then the coatedstone was further coated with binder, whereas Application Sequence 2indicated that uncoated stone was coated with binder in a single step.Stone XL indicated to what degree crosslinking in the binder applieddirectly to the stone (not bulk binder) occurred as induced by emittertechnology, with “NO” indicating that emitter technology was not appliedto the coated stone. Inter XL indicated to what degree crosslinking inthe bulk binder prior to application to the stone occurred as induced byemitter technology, with “NO” indicating that emitter technology was notapplied to the bulk binder. Intra XL indicated to what degreecrosslinking between the binder on the coated stone and the bulk binderoccurred as induced by emitter technology, with “NO” indicating thatemitter technology was not applied. The amount of crosslinking inducedwas selected by controlling the amount of energy imparted to the coreusing emitter technology.

FIG. 7A provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for left dock(L3, L6, L9) asphalt pavement cores. The tests were conducted in a 60°C. water bath. The y-axis represented axial deflection in millimeters,while the x-axis represented the number of wheel passes the cores weresubjected to. The L3 core exhibited poor performance—essentially asteady slope down with failure at almost a 45° angle on the graph. Whilethe binder employed in preparing the tested cores was the same, thecrosslinking was different. The L3 core was not subjected to anycrosslinking. In contrast, the L9 core exhibited half as much rutting asthe L3 core. In the L9 core crosslinking between the binder and stone,as well as crosslinking in the bulk binder, was induced by applicationof emitter technology.

FIG. 7B provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for right dock(R3, R6, R9) asphalt pavement cores. The graph includes a regionidentified as “Stripping Inflection”. This region illustrates thatbetween about 9,000 and 11,000 cycles, the rate of rutting begins toaccelerate.

It has been discovered that if one can crosslink binder to the stoneusing ambient cured crosslink technology, the moisture sensitivity ofthe road is substantially improved. For example, the R3 can be comparedwith the L3 core. The L3 core begins to fail at 5,000 to 6,000 cycles,with rutting down to 5 millimeters at 6,000 cycles. In contrast, the R3core exhibits only half as much rutting as L3 at the same number ofcycles. The binder in the R3 core exhibits more cohesive strengthresulting in less moisture sensitivity. In the Hamburg test, theasphalt-moisture relationship dynamics typically do not manifestthemselves in the early part of the test. The core typically requires aperiod of exposure to water under test conditions in order for water towork its way down into the core, similar to the process of exposingpavement to the elements under ambient conditions. Accordingly, a brandnew road may exhibit satisfactory performance for a couple of seasons,and then suddenly begin to fall apart due to the moisture penetratingthe core and inserting itself between the binder and the rock.Accordingly, the Hamburg test can be conveniently viewed in two parts:resistance to rutting up to about 10,000 cycles, and rut resistanceafter 10,000 cycles. Resistance to rutting up to about 10,000 cycles andbeyond indicates that the stone and the binder are well-adhered to eachother, so as to resist water breakdown. While intercrosslinking canimprove rutting resistance in the first 10,000 cycles, it is stonecrosslinking that improves the rut resistance long term, pushing thestripping inflection point out further. The R9 core exhibited the bestperformance of the cores tested. The R9 core was subjected to 100%crosslinking on the stone and 100% intercrosslinking. There was nosignificant loss of moisture resistance, and the intercrosslinking of100% kept the material very stiff in terms of the overall rutting in thelater stages of testing. Intracrosslinking for R9 was at 20%.

FIG. 8A provides results of a Hamburg Wheel Tracker test for right dock(L3, L6, L9) asphalt pavement cores prepared to maximize stonecrosslinking, intra-crosslinking, and inter-crosslinking. The tests wereperformed in a 60° C. water bath. The cores exhibited a maximum rut of3.6 mm in the middle of the core and an average of 2.4 mm from readingsin the middle of cores and a reading at the joint. A second HamburgWheel Tracker test was repeated on the same set of cores that hadpreviously been subjected to testing (first Hamburg Wheel Tracker testresults provided in FIG. 8A, and second, subsequent Hamburg WheelTracker test results provided in FIG. 8B). For the second test, thecores were set in high strength plaster so that the lower originalpavement would be fully contained. The second test resulted in a maximumrut of 2.1 mm in the middle of the core and an average of 1.5 mm fromthe readings in the middle of the cores and a reading at the joint. Thecores so tested survived 50,000 cycles with less than 4 mm of totalrutting.

The cores were prepared as follows. A stone matrix was provided that was¾″ graded along a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 0.45 powercurve. Coatings were provided that comprised 60% polymer modifiedemulsions that were applied cold to the dry stone of the stone matrix. Acoating, referred to herein as “Application Sequence 1 Coating” wasprepared as follows. A mixture of HCP Asphalt Emulsion from DeltaTrading, LLC of Bakersfield, Calif. and AFO 9837 Bioresin from CoePolymer, Inc. of Sacramento, Calif. was prepared. The ratio of HCPAsphalt Emulsion to AFO 0837 Bioresin was 96.00 to 4.00 (units ofweight). To this mixture, MDI PM200 Crosslink available from Tri-IsoInc., Los Angeles, Calif. was added. The ratio of mixture to MDI PM200Crosslink was 100.00 to 5.00 (units of weight). The amount of solids inthe Application Sequence 1 Coating was 64.68 (units of weight, based ontotal units of weight of 105.00). The specified amount of croslinkingagent (MDI PM200 Crosslink) resulted in 100% crosslinking. Reducedlevels of crosslinking (e.g., Stone XL, Inter XL, or Intra XL asreferred to in FIG. 6) were achieved by reducing the amount ofcrosslinking agent in the Application Sequence 1. A coating, referred toherein as “Application Sequence 2 Coating” was prepared as follows. Amixture of HCP Asphalt Emulsion from Delta Trading, LLC of Bakersfield,Calif. and BER 2937 Bioresin Modified Isoprene-SBR Terpolymer wasprepared. The Isoprene-SBR was obtained from BASF North America ofFlorham Park, N.J., and the BER 2937 Bioresin employed to convert theIsoprene-SBR into a Terpolymer was obtained from Coe Polymer, Inc. ofSacramento, Calif. The ratio of HCP Asphalt Emulsion to BER 2937Bioresin Modified Isoprene-SBR Terpolymer was 85.00 to 15.00 (units ofweight). The amount of solids in the Application Sequence 2 Coating was60.55 (units of weight, based on total units of weight of 100.00). Thecombined cured binders were evaluated according to guidelines set forthin ASTM G154 QUV Accelerated Ageing Test—5,000 hrs. including cyclicmoisture at 300-400 nm. The results were no chalking, cracking orhardening detected. The cured binder was also evaluated according to theguidelines set forth in ASTM D6521-13 Accelerated aging of AsphaltBinder—300 psi at 250° F. for 30 days. The results were no loss ofductility, no formation of carbonyl or sulfoxide groups detected.

In Application Sequence 1, the coating was applied to the stone in anamount of 4% neat resin (relative to stone weight), and then air driedwith ambient temperature crosslinking of the coating to virgin stonesurface. In Application Sequence 2, the coating was applied to thepre-coated stone in an amount of 3.5% neat resin (relative to stoneweight). The second coating was applied over the air cured first coatinglayer, and then air dried. No crosslinking of the second coat occurredunder ambient conditions (crosslinking is only initiated when thestone-binder matrix is subjected to temperatures of 250° F. or greaterwithin a compacted cross-section). Loose, already coated stone wasplaced in gyratory compactor cylinder already containing a core samplefrom an aged pavement in the bottom. The cold compact stone-bindermatrix was compacted to 5-6% air void density. The resulting totalcompacted core thickness was 60 mm with a lower one-half (30 mm)consisting of the aged pavement cross-section and the upper one-half (30mm) consisting of new coated material. The compacted core was thenirradiated with 10,000 nm wavelength radiation to a core temperature of300° F. The test section upon compaction and irradiation curingsimulated a one inch overlay repair system. Hamburg Wheel Test resultsfor the baseline aged pavement taken from the same area as the agedpavement core samples referred to above showed in excess of 20 mmrutting, thereby failing the standard at approximately 5,000 cycles.Irradiating the entire core to a temperature of 300° F. for a minimum often minutes completely crosslinked the Application Sequence 1 to theApplication Sequence 2 binder within its own matrix as well asintercrosslinked the Application Sequence 1 and the Application Sequence2 into a monolithic polymer at the mechanical touchpoint of each coatedstone moiety.

A core subjected to 100% stone crosslinking, 100% intercrosslinking and100% intracrosslinking would exhibit virtually no rutting, resulting insignificantly longer service life than any conventional asphalt. Incertain embodiments a high degree of intracrosslinking is desirable. Agap-created road has voids between the stone that leaves room for waterto percolate through and move horizontally to keep the road frompuddling. Such a configuration helps avoid hydroplaning, and is referredto as an open grade friction course. Such a configuration is employed inportions of Interstate 10 that run along the Gulf Coast to avoidstanding water due to heavy rain. While in a dense graded structurethere is substantial rock contact, in a gap-graded road there issubstantially less rock contact, therefore the road cross sectionexperiences substantially greater mechanical loads at the contactpoints. A high degree of intracrosslinking can compensate for thegreater loads. Intercrosslinking is a greater factor in such gap-gradedroads, because the stones touch in fewer spots as opposed to beingnested very tightly. Emitter technology can advantageously be employedto engineer the binder to compensate for what would be considered asubstandard stone configuration, as in gap-graded roads, resulting inlonger pavement life than can be achieved using conventionaltechnologies.

FIG. 9 provides a schematic depicting steps involved in reconstructionof damaged or aged pavement using emitter technology. The first steptypically involves surface preparation, if necessary (e.g., removingdebris and pavement markers, high pressure washing and vacuum). Deeppavement repair is achieved by the second and third steps. The secondstep involves ductility restoration by applying emitter technology tothe road surface, followed by a third step of densification of thepavement, e.g., using high impact vibratory compaction or otherconventional compaction technologies, depending upon any overlay to beapplied. If desired, these steps can be followed by a final grade andwearing surface process involving as step 4 the application of a warmmicromill and injection of high performance adhesive (a firstcrosslinking), gravity feeding a pre-coated new stone matrix, mixing newand warm milled aggregate and adhesive then paving, followed byapplication of emitter technology to the upper substrate (a secondcrosslinking). Step 5 involves a final compaction and fusion of thewearing surface.

For conventional asphalt paving technologies, 30 years on average istypically considered the plausible usable life, i.e., the life of theroad without major maintenance. In contrast, the actual useful life istypically considered only 18 years as an average with the best pavementthat is currently in use, namely conventional hot mix pavement. One ofskill in the art understands that while a high toughness is desirable inasphalt paving, if too much polymer is included in the asphalt coated onrock to improve toughness, the material becomes so stiff that it cannotbe laid using conventional paver equipment and exhibits strippingproblems. The emitter technology of the embodiments enables a higherdegree of crosslinking in any polymer present to be achieved versusconventional hot mix technology, so as to improve pavement toughness insitu, thereby theoretically extending actual useful life to 50 years ormore for pavement using emitter technology. FIG. 4 illustrates variousfatigue life considerations and their impact on plausible useful life.The considerations are divided into process related and chemical relatedfactors. In conventional hot mix asphalt, a process related factor thatreduces life is oxidation of the binder prior to installation. Thebinder is typically subjected to heating for hours prior to installation(reduction of approx. 2 years of life). In contrast, the emittertechnology warms the pavement in place for only a few minutes (zero neteffect on plausible useful life). Gap graded segregation, where smallerand larger rocks in the aggregate separate during handling (transport,storage, transfer, etc.) can cause approx. 3 years reduction in life. Incontrast, in the emitter technology the aggregate is mixed and laid onsite, resulting in superior homogeneity (a benefit of approx. 2 years inlife).

Moisture sensitivity of the placed aggregate is a significant factor inlife reduction in conventional hot mix. Hot mix is typically a very highviscosity material due to the presence of rubberized asphalts. The highviscosity rubberized asphalt material “smooths out” the surface of dryrock while exhibiting a tendency to bridge the microstructure of therock surface. Accordingly, in conventional hot mix there is much surfacearea that is left unwetted by the high viscosity rubberized asphaltmaterial. In contrast, a water-based material as is advantageouslyemployed in the technology of certain embodiments has a tendency to wetout substantially more of the microstructure of the rock surface, andtypically will coat 10 times more of the rock surface area than aconventional hot mix high viscosity rubberized asphalt material. Thisresults in a greater intimacy between the chemistry of a water-basedsystem than in a hot melt system, resulting in reduced moisturesensitivity. Processes related to moisture sensitivity result in approx.4 years reduction in life for hot mix, versus a gain of approx. 4 yearsfor emitter technology.

Mat density is a factor relating to stiffness of the hot mix. Asdiscussed above, bituminous materials comprise two phases: a continuousphase comprising maltenes and a suspended phase comprising asphaltenes.Subjecting the material to short wavelengths of energy as inconventional hot mix results in dehydrogenation and grafting, causingislands to be formed that takes away from the homogeneity of theasphalt. This reduction in homogeneity can impact the compactionprocess, in that the asphalt acts like a “dirty lubricant”, causing thepavement to move laterally instead of compacting vertically into atighter mass at a certain point. If the asphalt is cooled to the pointwhere it will not move sideways, then it becomes too stiff to compactvertically. This results in a 6% void density content in conventionalhot mix, resulting in a loss of 3 years off the plausible useful life.In contrast, a higher density down to 5% or even 4% or less void densitycan be achieved with emitter technology, resulting in an improvement ofapprox. 5 years. This is because a longer wavelength of energy can beemployed so lubricity between the binder on the rock and the stone whenthe final compaction is performed is improved, resulting in higherdensity. Applying emitter technology and compaction to an aged roadbedthat has stratification can typically reduce void density content of thehot mix by a percentage point (e.g., 6% void density content is reducedto 5% void density content).

Chemistry-related fatigue life configuration can include polymerselection. For example, the emitter technology can employ polymertechnologies not conventionally used in conventional hot mix, e.g.,certain glycol technologies. Aggregate binder optimization includesprocesses related to achieving better wetting of the rock surface byusing crosslinking agents and stripping agents (e.g., amine bases suchas isocyanurates exhibit a weak acid chemistry and bind to the hydroxylson the stone surface) that add significant resistance to moisturesusceptibility. Buffered isocyanurate can be particularly advantageousin conjunction with emitter technology in that it will mix into theaqueous binder system and improve wetting of the stone surface by afactor of 10 compared to conventional hot mix, and also create bondsthat are not susceptible to be broken down by polar materials likewater. The aggregate-binder selection can also be employed to enablepoor quality aggregate, e.g., rock that is porous or not as structurallysound as is typically preferred, to be used in road building withsatisfactory useful life. The technology of the embodiments allows oneto compensate for such irregularities in the actual hardness or thetoughness of stone. The final chemistry related factors identified inFIG. 5 include intercrosslinking, intracrosslinking, and doublecrosslinking. Double crosslinking is used to describe a process whereinthere is a first crosslinking takes place at an approximately 3 to 5,000nanometer peak wavelength, and then a second level of crosslinking thattakes place as the road system cools. The second phase of crosslinkingthat takes place creates a resistance to the loads that the firstcrosslinking will endure first. The combination of crosslinking thattakes place at different temperatures essentially creates tensionbetween crosslinks wherein the first phase crosslinks under compressioncreate tension in the second crosslinks, and vice versa. Thisfacilitates the pavement coming back to stasis after application ofcompression by a rolling load by using a tension and compressioncrystalline structure.

FIG. 10 provides a cost per lane miles per year comparison of emittertechnology versus conventional pavement rejuvenation technologies.Notably, emitter technology can provide superior results to conventionalchip seal technology, type III microslurry, and 1″ overlay with Petromatat significant cost savings. FIG. 11 provides a comparison of attributesof emitter technology versus conventional pavement rejuvenationtechnologies.

FIG. 12 provides a comparison of ASTM D2486 scrub resistance testresults for conventional pavement coatings versus binder enhancedTractionSeal Atomized Slurry (−150 stone). FIG. 13A through FIG. 13D arephotographs of the coatings subjected to the ASTM D2486 scrub resistancetest of FIG. 12. They include a high performance coal tar at 500 cycles(FIG. 13A), a premium seal coat at 650 cycles (FIG. 13B), an acrylictraffic striping paint at 1250 cycles (FIG. 13C), and a TractionSealatomized slurry at 1650 cycles (FIG. 13D).

Coating Applications

Elastomer suitable for use in selected embodiments includes a highviscosity material that is a thermoplastic, not a thermotrope, such thatit can be applied under ambient conditions. It can exhibit superioradhesive qualities that are tuned to the substrate onto which it isapplied, whether it is wood, a pitted rust, white metal, a rustysurface, self-priming, marine coatings, agri-coatings, or the like(e.g., coating for pipes that are to be placed underground). Bymanipulating the components of the elastomer, a coating tailored to aparticular application can be obtained. Such coatings, once applied, canbe cured using the emitter system methodology to yield a coating withsuperior qualities. An advantage of such a system is that it can beemployed to apply coatings under ambient conditions as are present inthe field.

The elastomers can be employed as house paints or other similarstructural coatings for use on, e.g., wood, stucco, concrete, aluminumsiding, or the like. For breathable substrates, such as wood, moisturecan penetrate from other locations, so the wood must be permitted tobreathe such that water does not accumulate. Breathing can be engineeredinto a paint, and it can also be engineered to have a much higherresistance to solar energy so as to minimize chalking and some of theother problems exhibited by house paint exposed to the elements. Whetherit is in a marine environment or just extremely cold temperatures andthen high intense heat, the elastomer can be engineered to provide acoating that can be applied to a side wall or other surface, and canthen be cured using, e.g., a hand-held emitter. Spraying is a desirablemethod of application; however, rolling or other methods of applicationcan also be employed. On, e.g., a wood surface, such a cured coatingexhibits a much longer useful life than does a conventional house paint.

There are many different types of house paint, and most fall into one oftwo categories: oil and water. Oil-based house paint is referred to asalkyd, while the water-based type is commonly called latex or acrylic.The main differences between the two are their drying processes, theirfinishes, and the ease or difficulty of clean up. Oil-based house painttakes longer to dry than the water-based variety, but it containsadditives to help speed up the drying process. Oil paints also create aharder, glossier finish, and require special chemicals for cleanup.Water based paints, on the other hand, dry quickly as moistureevaporates. Their finish is not as shiny or as durable, but the ease ofclean up makes them a popular choice. They can be cleaned up with warmwater and a bit of mild detergent. Within these categories are manydifferent types, starting with primer. While primer may not technicallybe considered paint, it is a necessary step in most painting projects.Primer is also available in oil-based and water-based formulas. It iswise to select an oil-based primer when using alkyd house paints, and awater-based primer when using latex. Specialty house paints includeanti-condensation or mold and mildew resistant options. These aregenerally used in kitchens, baths, basements, and any other area thatmay be damp. While this type cannot completely prevent condensation,mold, or mildew, it can greatly lessen their effects. Another specialtyvariety is heat resistant or fire-retardant house paint. While thesecannot completely prevent fire, they do withstand much highertemperatures and slow the spread of fire. They are often used forradiators and fireplace surrounds. Coatings using elastomer technologyas described herein can be cured using terahertz radiation produced byan emitter as described herein.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) linings have long been accepted for therehabilitation of pipelines that have deteriorated through decades ofservice, but they can also be used to correct design or constructiondeficiencies in new pipelines. As the water distribution infrastructurecontinues to deteriorate across North America, there is a continued needto develop pipeline rehabilitation methods that are cost effective andminimally disruptive, while also minimizing the time a pipe must betaken out of service. Spray-on linings that satisfy the requirements ofNSF 61 are one such emerging class of rehabilitation methods for pipesand conduits subjected to internal pressure. Spray-on linings currentlyused in waterline rehabilitation are either cement-based or conventionalpolymer-based. Pipe liners prepared using elastomer and emitter emittertechnology for curing provide long lasting coatings that are easy toapply and cure in place. The emitter technology can be readily adaptedto use in the interior of pipes of various sizes, e.g., residentialsewer lines of a few inches in diameter or less, to large concrete ormetal pipes of several feet in diameter or more.

Mid IR to near microwave terahertz radiation can also be employed torapidly cure coatings using selected conventional elastomeric orpolymeric materials as well. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, anemitter as in certain embodiments can be employed to rapidly cure aconventional coating. However, cured coatings employing elastomertechnology are generally preferred, as they exhibit superior propertiesin terms of durability, flexibility, and resistance to the elements(water, temperature change, physical contact, etc.).

Similarly, the elastomer as described herein for asphalt pavementapplications can be employed for use in marine coatings (e.g., piers,sides of a ship, holding tanks, holds of a ship, tankers, or otherstructures exposed to freshwater or seawater). A layer of elastomer from1-2 inches thick can be applied to such a steel frame and then subjectto curing. Such a cured elastomer essentially forms a secondarycontainer that has properties of structural integrity that would farexceed those of a similar steel frame. Such methodology can be employedto retrofit aging tankers, e.g., petroleum tankers, so as to preventleaks. A double hull liner employing an elastomer can provide a highdegree of structural integrity in marine applications. Extrusionmethodology can be employed with elastomers of certain embodimentsfabricated as a thermoplastic, e.g., 20,000 centistokes, to permitfabrication of thick sheets and layers exhibiting desirable properties.

Bridge and Building Foundation Applications

An elastomer coating can be placed on a foundation wall of a newconstruction or can be used to repair an area where low grade concretehas been employed, or the concrete has been exposed to water, e.g.,inside a parking garage, in a cistern or a power transformer box, or thelike. The system is desirable for use on concrete that is configured tostay waterproof on the inside while exposed to sources of water. Forfixing leaks, silicon sealants are conventionally used. However, for newconstruction such sealants are not practical for use over large areas.The elastomer offers the advantage that it can be sprayed onto, e.g.,floors, walls, ceilings, support beams, or the like, and when curedusing the emitter system has excellent flexibility through a broad rangeof temperatures, tremendous adhesion to the surface, and self-heals,such that a loss of structural integrity under normal conditions is notobserved.

In such applications in the construction industry, materials such asrecycled tires can be added to the elastomer composition to provide goodenergy absorbance when cured using emitter technology. An inexpensiveenergy adsorber such as rubber, included in the elastomer at highconcentrations, can greatly aid in obtaining a more rapid finish.

In the case of foundation walls, a coating of elastomer can be sprayedon that cures to a protective coating. The elastomer can include waterbased bioresins or other materials in desired amounts to createviscoelastic properties enabling a thick layer to be sprayed ontovertical or overhead surfaces, which stays in place without creepingbefore and during the curing process. In some embodiments, a reinforcingmembrane or fabric can be used in conjunction with the elastomer, e.g.,applied over the top of the uncured elastomer layer, which acts as anadhesive for the membrane and/or which penetrates into the membrane. Forexample, a elastomer can be prepared that includes a bioresin suspendingagent that enables layers up to ⅛ inch or more in thickness to besprayed in place, then a reinforcing fabric can be applied, and thelayer cured. Multiple layers of elastomer and/or fabric can be built up,with curing conducted as a final step or after one or more layers ofelastomer are applied.

The cure rate as well as the amount of energy required for cure and atwhat density can be adjusted, so as to avoid blistering of the curedlayer. In conventional materials, fast exit of water during the curingprocess can result in blistering. If conditions are such that the waterdoes not rapidly exit the material, the water can act as a catalystwhile it is in a highly energized state, trapped in the material,without the water dissociating.

The amount of energy put in a water molecule trapped in an elastomer canbe calculated, and this information can be used to manipulate thecharacteristics of the coating so as to avoid blistering while placing alarge amount of energy in the coating.

The methods as described above for coating a concrete structure, such asa vertical wall, can be adapted to concrete structures present inbridges. Bridges, e.g., highway bridges, can employ an asphalt cap, butare primarily constructed of concrete and steel. These bridges can bepaved, but are primarily concrete-clad steel. In such embodiments,waterproofing properties are highly desired, e.g., to prevent incursionof seawater. Cracks and fissures from the shrinkage of the concrete canoccur, so it is desirable to compensate for this with a coatingexhibiting stretch and give. A bridge will have a wearing surface overthe top, which must float and give in different directions. In ahigh-rise building, it is typical to have dirt being backfilled orgravel with drain tiles or drainpipes that are put in to carry wateraway from the footings of the building. In contrast, on a horizontalbridge, you have the shearing action of the pavement that is put overthe top, e.g., concrete with asphalt paving atop, subjected tostretching in two different directions. This pairing action doubles ortriples the amount of elastic recovery that the material needs. Whenthere is simultaneous motion in the X, Y, and Z plane, as in bridges,special materials are conventionally employed for waterproofing. Thesematerials penetrate down to about a quarter of an inch thick and aretypically ureas or urethanes. Such materials suffer from blistering dueto moisture in the bridge deck, and will eventually tear due to themotion they are subjected to. In contrast, the elastomers describedherein exhibit excellent stiffness and tensile strength, and can healitself even at subzero temperatures. They can also be injected into thesubstrate to be coated.

The elastomers are desirable for use, e.g., in concrete structures wherefractures have opened up and water drips onto the structure (e.g.,transported in by cars). Salts in such water (e.g., road salt) canfurther attack any boundary between cement and steel, causing the steelto corrode.

Conventionally, a membrane can be placed over the top of the concrete;however, the membrane may still allow water to migrate beneath itssurface. Epoxies and urethanes can be used as sealants; however, whilethey are tough enough to withstand traffic and are taken up by theconcrete well, they compromise the ability to flex, and if they flex toomuch, they will break. Such materials are not aerospace materials. Incontrast, the elastomer of certain embodiments can meet the physicalproperties of epoxy on a driving surface for a parking garage, but willalso self-heal and continue to repair itself. It can also be used toinject down into cracks and fissures and actually bring the water upbeside the interface between the elastomer and the cement, so as tobecome a completely reactive material that has 1,000% elongation. Thisenables the concrete to move, e.g., by heating and cooling of thestructure through the summer and winter) while the elastomer undergoesself-heal. The elastomer and emitter curing method bridges a large gapand meet a significant market need where exotic (and expensive)materials have previously been employed, whether for remediation or innew construction.

Light Blocks

The majority of regular concrete produced is in the density range of 150pounds per cubic foot (pcf). The last decade has seen great strides inthe realm of dense concrete and fantastic compressive strengths (up to20,000 psi) which mix designers have achieved. Yet regular concrete hassome drawbacks. It is heavy, hard to work with, and after it sets, onecannot cut or nail into it without some difficulty or use of specialtools. Some complaints about it include the perception that it is coldand damp. Still, it is a remarkable building material—fluid, strong,relatively cheap, and environmentally innocuous. And, it is available inalmost every part of the world.

Regular concrete with microscopic air bubbles added up to 7% is calledair entrained concrete. It is generally used for increasing theworkability of wet concrete and reducing the freeze-thaw damage bymaking it less permeable to water absorption. Conventional airentrainment admixtures, while providing relatively stable air in smallquantities, have a limited range of application and aren't well suitedfor specialty lightweight mix designs.

Lightweight concrete begins in the density range of less than 120 pcf.It has traditionally been made using such aggregates as expanded shale,clay, vermiculite, pumice, and scoria among others. Each have theirpeculiarities in handling, especially the volcanic aggregates which needcareful moisture monitoring and are difficult to pump. Decreasing theweight and density produces significant changes which improves manyproperties of concrete, both in placement and application. Although thishas been accomplished primarily through the use of lightweightaggregates, preformed foams have been added to mixes, further reducingweight. The very lightest mixes (from 20 to 60 pcf) are often made usingonly foam as the aggregate, and are referred to as cellular concrete.The entrapped air takes the form of small, macroscopic, sphericallyshaped bubbles uniformly dispersed in the concrete mix. Today foams areavailable which have a high degree of compatibility with many of theadmixtures currently used in modern concrete mix designs.

Foam used with either lightweight aggregates and/or admixtures such asfly ash, silica fume, synthetic fiber reinforcement, and high rangewater reducers (e.g., superplasticizers), has produced a new hybrid ofconcrete called lightweight composite concrete.

Lightweight concrete blocks (“light blocks”) can be prepared usingelastomer technology. The sand and aggregate employed in a light blockcan be microcoated with elastomer, then subject it to emitter curing asit comes out of an extruder. The resulting light block exhibits a highdegree of strength and shatter resistance, making it desirable for usein areas subject to earthquakes. Such technology can also be employed toprepare other strong, flexible cement structures, e.g., extruded pipes,sheets, or even structures conventionally prepared using cement (e.g.,pavement, sidewalks, steps, etc.) A road constructed using elastomertechnology as described herein would be extremely durable, with highresistance to loss of fine particles off the surface, a high stiffnessmodulus, and other desirable properties. Such elastomer technology canbe used in any application where it would be desirable to form a solidstructure by adhering small particles together (e.g., rock, lightweightcomposite beads, any combination of fibrous materials and stone), e.g.,construction of building trusses, structural members for building, andthe like.

Aerated autoclaved concrete block is a lightweight building material. AnH-block, or double open-end unit, is open on both ends which increasesthe space available for rebar and grout. A mortarless masonry wallsystem is made from dry-stacked units that can be subsequently grouted,partially grouted, or surface bonded. Lightweight aerated concrete, alsoknown as foamed concrete or cellular concrete, is not an autoclavedaerated concrete (AAC) product, it is conventional concrete with a widerange of densities, choice of aggregates and mix designs. It is widelyused in the manufacture of single skin lightweight concrete wall panels,employing tilt-up construction. This is an ideal situation for themanufacture of light commercial structures and factories as well asresidential housing. Aerated lightweight concrete blocks and lightweighttilt-up panels, foamed concrete floor screeds, sound and thermalinsulation, geotechnical and ornamental concrete applications are allapplications where the elastomer can be employed. Aerated lightweightconcrete lends itself to tilt-up construction methods, and panels can bepoured even on site, saving transportation and handling costs. Castingof lightweight concrete panels is very similar to producing regularpanels and most commercially available additives used with concrete canbe used with aerated lightweight concrete too. Amongst a range oflightweight masonry blocks which can be produced from elastomer includemortarless, interlocking lightweight blocks which save on constructiontime, which can be produced in various densities. They feature highinsulation values, is fireproof and can be made in several sizes.Architectural Ornamentation can be fabricated from elastomer with foamedconcrete. Fireplaces in natural stone are often too heavy for somestructures, especially if they are retrofitted. Moreover, cellularconcrete provides excellent insulation, reducing the risk of fire.Lightweight aerated concrete ornamentation products can be produced in awide range of finishes, such as marble, sandstone, slate of any color.The product range includes columns, bench tops, ledges, arches, tiles,and the like—anything which can be cast in molds. For sculpting, largeblocks of our aerated concrete can be cast and sculpted, usingwoodworking tools. Low Cost Housing projects the world over aregenerally very competitive, large in volume but low in margin for thedeveloper. On-site stack-casting of panels is employed, using ready mixtrucks which are charged with sand, cement and water before the foam isadded. The trucks discharge the lightweight concrete directly into themolds. In certain parts of the world, cast-in-place (in situ casting) ispreferred, in particular in seismic zones where a column-and-beamstructure is required. This can be incorporated in the structure. Theelastomer light block products are lightweight materials produced byblending a cementitious slurry containing elastomer into a stable,three-dimensional pre-form. The foam is produced by diluting a liquidconcentrate with water, then pressurizing it with air and forcing itthrough a conditioning nozzle. The foam is then blended with a base mixconsisting of cement, fly ash, water and sometimes aggregate. Thiscauses the base mix to expand and become lighter. The air bubbles holdtheir shape until the cement hydrates permanently trapping the air inthe material. The material is then cured using terahertz radiation usingemitter technology as described herein. The materials are low density,light weight, can be made permeable to air and water or nonpermeable,and have a high bearing capacity.

Engineered, open-cell lightweight material can also be fabricated thatis capable of reducing loads without disturbing or re-directing naturalwater flow, and can be used for applications where drainage is needed incombination with a lightweight material.

Shapes of light block that can be prepared include the following:stretchers, solid block, half block, corner block, bond beam, bull nose,chimney block, footer pads, post block, scored block, open end pier,split face (e.g., 4″, 6″, or 8″ split face), split ribbed, and any othersuitable shape for the desired construction, landscaping, or otherapplication.

Fire-Resistant Materials

Elastomer as described herein for certain pavement applications can alsobe desirable for use in fireproofing applications. Fire retardantelastomers can be prepared by incorporating fireproofing components asare known in the art, e.g., phosphorous based or halogen basedcompounds, or other materials, e.g., ceramic based materials,intumescent materials, vapor-producing materials and the like. Theelastomer can be sprayed or otherwise applied to a surface to berendered fire-resistant, e.g., metal structural beams, ceiling panels,interior spaces of walls, attic spaces, interior spaces in vehicles,ships, aircraft, shipping containers, pallets, etc. The elastomer can becured in place using the emitter technology for generating terahertzradiation as described herein.

Brominated compounds suitable for incorporation into the fire-resistantelastomers include brominated azido compounds, e.g., brominated linoleylazidoformate containing an average of four bromines,tetrabromohexanesulfonylazide, tribromoneopentyl azidoformate,brominated nonane-1,9-disulfonylazide containing an average of fourbromines, brominated poly(ethylene sulfonylazide) containingapproximately 40% by weight of bromine and an average of 20sulfonylazide groups, 2,4,6-tribromocyclohexyl azidoformate, brominatedbicyclo[4.4.2]dodecane sulfonylazide containing an average of fourbromines, tribromocyclopentyl azidoformate,2-(tribromocyclohexyl)acetylazide,1,4-bis-azidoformyloxymethyl)tetrabromocyclohexane, 2,4,6-tribromophenylazidoformate, 2,4,6-tribromophenyl sulfonylazide,2,4,6-tribromobenzoylazide, 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromophenyl azidoformate,brominated naphthyl azidoformate containing an average of four bromines,brominated biphenyl-bis-sulfonylazide containing an average of sixbromines, 2,2-bis(4-azidoformyl-3,5-dibromophenyl)propane,2,4,6-tribromobenzyl azidoformate,1,4(bis-azidoformyloxymethyl)tetrabromobenzene, brominatedpoly(sulfonylazido styrene) containing approximately 38% bromine, anaverage of four sulfonylazide groups and having a molecular weight ofapproximately 500, beta,beta,beta-tribromoethoxyethyl azidoformate,4-(2,3-dibromopropyloxy)-2,3-dibromobutyl sulfonylazide, copolymer ofglycidol and epibromohydrin where the hydroxyl groups have beenconverted to azidoformate groups and having a molecular weight ofapproximately 700, beta-(2,3,4,5,6-pentabromophenoxy)ethyl azidoformate,3-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-propionylazide,3-(2,4,6-tribromocyclohexyloxy)propyl sulfonylazide, brominateddicyclohexyl ether sulfonylazide containing an average of sevenbromines, brominated bis-azidoformate of the tetramer of cyclohexanediolcontaining 16 bromines, 3-(2,3,4,5,6-pentabromocyclohexyloyx)-benzenesulfonylazide, 4,4′-diazidoformyl-2,2′-3,3′-,5,5′-,6,6′-octabromodiphenylether, brominated bis-azidoformate ofpolyphenyleneoxide tetramer containing 16 bromines, the tribromoacetylester of pentaerythritol azidoformate, the tribromobenzoyl ester ofpentaerythritol azidoformate,bis(2,3-dibromopropyl)-2-azidoformyloxymalonate,bis(3,4,6-tribromopehnyl)-2-azidoformyloxymalonate,2,4,6-tribromophenylazidosulfonylmethyl ketone, the sulfonylazide ofbrominated dicyclohexyl ketone containing an average of six bromines,brominated 4-azidoformyloxy-3-methyl-2-butanone containing an average ofthree bromines,4,4′-azidoformyloxy-2,2′-3,3′-5,5′-6,6′-octabromobenzophenone,bis[beta-azidoformyloxyethyl]tetrabromophthalate, 4-azidoformyloxy-2,3-dibromobutyltribromoacetate,3-azidoformyloxy-2,2-dibromomethylpropyltribromoacetate,beta,beta,beta-tribromoethyl-3-azidoformyloxypropionate, brominatedglyceryl tri(azidoformyloxystearate) containing an average of fivebromines and substituted with approximately one phosphate group permolecule, the azidoformate of the ethylene oxide adduct of2,4,6-tribromophenol containing on the average two ethylene oxidegroups, the azidoformate of the epibromohydrin adduct of2,4,6-tribromophenol containing on the average three epibromohydringroups, beta,beta,beta-tribromoethyl-4-azidosulfonylphenylcarbamate,N-(azidoformyloxymethyl)-2,2,2-tribromoacetamide, andN-(azidoformyloxyethyl)-2,2,2-tribromoacetamide.

Phosphorous-based materials suitable for incorporation into thefire-resistant elastomers include diammonium phosphate, monoammoniumphosphate, or simple or complex mixtures of such phosphates.Particularly suitable fire retardants of this variety are prepared byreacting aqueous phosphoric acid with an alkylene oxide, such asethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide. See U.S. Pat. No.3,900,327, which describes fire retardants formed by reacting 0.5 to 1.5parts of ethylene oxide by weight of orthophosphoric acid. An improvedfire retardant of this variety is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,858wherein an alkylene oxide of 2 to 4 carbon atoms is reacted with aqueousphosphoric acid, with the weight ratio of oxide to acid being in therange of from about 0.01:1 to about 0.25:1.

Inorganic fire-retardants are well-known in the art and include, withoutlimitation, certain phosphate salts such as ammonium polyphosphate,metal oxides, borates, and the like. In one implementation of theinvention, the inorganic fire-retardant is one which undergoes anendothermic reaction in the presence of heat or flame (an “endothermicinorganic fire-retardant”). Crystalline materials having water ofhydration are one example of endothermic inorganic fire-retardants.Suitable inorganic materials comprising water of hydration include, forexample, crystalline oxides such as alumina trihydrate, hydratedmagnesium oxide, and hydrated zinc borate, including but not limited to2ZnO.3B₂O₃.3½H₂O, 4ZnO.B₂2O₃.H₂O, 4ZnO.6B₂O₃7H₂O, 2ZnO.2B₂O₃3H₂O, andalumina trihydrate. It will be understood that the term “oxide,” as usedherein, refers to inorganic substances comprising at least one atomwhich forms at least one double bond to oxygen, and includes substanceshaving one atom double bonded to oxygen, for example MgO, and substanceshaving two or more atoms double bonded to oxygen, for example zincborate. The term “hydrated” refers to any substance which includes waterin the crystalline state, i.e., water of crystallization, and is usedsynonymously herein with the term “water of hydration.”

Intumescent materials suitable for incorporation into the fire-resistantelastomers include are materials that react in the presence of heat orflame to produce incombustible residues which expand to cellular foamhaving good insulation properties. Generally, intumescent materialsinclude a polyhydric substance, such as a latex, a sugar or polyol, andan intumescent catalyst which can be a dehydrating agent, such asphosphoric acid, usually introduced as a salt or ester. Upon heating,the acid catalyzes the dehydration of the polyol to polyolefiniccompounds which are subsequently converted to carbon char. Blowingagents which release nonflammable gases upon heating can be employed tofacilitate formation of the cellular foam. The most commonly usedintumescent coatings contain four basic components, sometimes called“reactive pigments”, dispersed in a binder matrix. The reactive pigmentsinclude (1) an inorganic acid or a material which yields an acid attemperatures between 100° C. and 250° C., such as for example, ammoniumpolyphosphate which yields phosphoric acid; (2) a carbon source such asa polyhydric material rich in carbon, also referred to as a carbonhydrate, for example, pentaerythritol or dipentaerythritol; (3) anorganic amine or amide, such as for example, a melamine; and optionally(4) a halogenated material which releases hydrochloric acid gas ondecomposition.

The basic intumescent mechanism is proposed to involve the formation ofa carbonaceous char by the dehydration reaction of the generated acidwith the polyhydric material. The amine may participate in charformation, but is described primarily as a blowing agent for insulatingchar foam formation. Because the insulating char stops fire and remainson the substrate, it offers better fire and thermal protection undersevere fire conditions than non-flammable type coatings.

Numerous patents and publications have disclosed intumescentcompositions containing one or more polymeric materials in combinationwith phosphate containing materials and carbonific or carbonic yieldingmaterials. In European Patent 0 902 062, the intumescent coatingcompositions can comprise vinyltoluene/acrylate copolymers orstyrene/acrylate polymers as a film-forming binder. In U.S. Pat. No.3,654,190, the intumescent coating contains a solidvinyltoluene/butadiene copolymer associated to a chlorinated naturalrubber acting as a char former. In European Patent 0 342 001, apolymeric binder for intumescent coatings comprise copolymers formed ofa first monomer in a predominant amount and of a second monomer in aminor amount, said second monomer being a thermally labile co-monomerwhich is preferably a monomeric aldehyde such as acroleine. In PCTPublication No. WO 01/05886, a polymeric binder in an emulsion form isoperative to form a film when the composition is allowed to dry. Thepolymeric binder described in PCT Publication No. WO 01/05886 is astyrene/acrylate copolymer. The coatings industry seeks fire retardantcoatings which not only meet fire retardancy requirements, but whichalso possess desirable coating properties.

Materials suitable for use in fire-retardant coatings of variousembodiments, such as various elastomers, are described, for example, inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,989,706; 5,925,457; 5,645,926; 5,603,990; 5,064,710;4,635,025; 4,345,002; 4,339,357; 4,265,791; 4,241,145; 4,226,907;4,221,837; 4,210,452; 4,205,022; 4,201,677; 4,201,593; 4,137,849;4,028,333; 3,955,987, 3,934,066, 6,207,085; 5,997,758; 5,882,541;5,626,787; 5,165,904; 4,744,965; 4,632,813; 4,595,414; 4,588,510;4,216,261; 4,166,840; 3,969,291 and 3,513,114.

While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, such illustration and descriptionare to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Thedisclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Variations tothe disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by thoseskilled in the art in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study ofthe drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.

All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety. To the extent publications and patents or patentapplications incorporated by reference contradict the disclosurecontained in the specification, the specification is intended tosupersede and/or take precedence over any such contradictory material.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) are to be given their ordinary and customary meaning to a personof ordinary skill in the art, and are not to be limited to a special orcustomized meaning unless expressly so defined herein. It should benoted that the use of particular terminology when describing certainfeatures or aspects of the disclosure should not be taken to imply thatthe terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to includeany specific characteristics of the features or aspects of thedisclosure with which that terminology is associated. Terms and phrasesused in this application, and variations thereof, especially in theappended claims, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construedas open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing, theterm ‘including’ should be read to mean ‘including, without limitation,’including but not limited to,′ or the like; the term ‘comprising’ asused herein is synonymous with ‘including,’ containing,′ or‘characterized by,’ and is inclusive or open-ended and does not excludeadditional, unrecited elements or method steps; the term ‘having’ shouldbe interpreted as ‘having at least;’ the term ‘includes’ should beinterpreted as ‘includes but is not limited to;’ the term ‘example’ isused to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not anexhaustive or limiting list thereof; adjectives such as ‘known’,‘normal’, ‘standard’, and terms of similar meaning should not beconstrued as limiting the item described to a given time period or to anitem available as of a given time, but instead should be read toencompass known, normal, or standard technologies that may be availableor known now or at any time in the future; and use of terms like‘preferably,’ ‘preferred,’ desired,′ or ‘desirable,’ and words ofsimilar meaning should not be understood as implying that certainfeatures are critical, essential, or even important to the structure orfunction of the invention, but instead as merely intended to highlightalternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in aparticular embodiment of the invention. Likewise, a group of itemslinked with the conjunction ‘and’ should not be read as requiring thateach and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rathershould be read as ‘and/or’ unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly,a group of items linked with the conjunction ‘or’ should not be read asrequiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should be readas ‘and/or’ unless expressly stated otherwise.

Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that the upper andlower limit, and each intervening value between the upper and lowerlimit of the range is encompassed within the embodiments.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity. The indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude aplurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions ofseveral items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measuresare recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicatethat a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Anyreference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting thescope.

It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specificnumber of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intentwill be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of suchrecitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a conventionanalogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in generalsuch a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the artwould understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one ofA, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where aconvention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, ingeneral such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill inthe art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at leastone of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that haveA alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be furtherunderstood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive wordand/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in thedescription, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplatethe possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, orboth terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood toinclude the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

All numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions,and so forth used in the specification are to be understood as beingmodified in all instances by the term ‘about.’ Accordingly, unlessindicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth herein areapproximations that may vary depending upon the desired propertiessought to be obtained. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limitthe application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of anyclaims in any application claiming priority to the present application,each numerical parameter should be construed in light of the number ofsignificant digits and ordinary rounding approaches.

Furthermore, although the foregoing has been described in some detail byway of illustrations and examples for purposes of clarity andunderstanding, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that certainchanges and modifications may be practiced. Therefore, the descriptionand examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of theinvention to the specific embodiments and examples described herein, butrather to also cover all modification and alternatives coming with thetrue scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An emitter system for repairing asphalt pavement,comprising: a structural frame; and one or more emitter panels situatedwithin the structural frame and pointing downward, wherein the metalframe is insulated with a layer of a high-density ceramic, wherein eachemitter panel comprises a serpentine wire positioned between thehigh-density ceramic and a sheet of a micaceous material exhibitingbiaxial birefringence, wherein each emitter panels is configured suchthat, in use, energy generated by each emitter panel passes through thesheet of micaceous material and impinges on an asphalt pavement, whereineach emitter panel is configured to produce energy with a power densityof from 3 to 15 W/in².
 2. The emitter system of claim 1, wherein thestructural frame is a metal frame comprising one or more beams attachedto one or more wheels, and wherein the structural frame is configured toprevent bending, sagging, or twisting even while traversing uneventerrain.
 3. The emitter system of claim 1, further comprising a powersource configured to supply electrical power to the one or more emitterpanels, wherein the power source is a portable generator.
 4. The emittersystem of claim 3, wherein the portable generator is a diesel generatorconfigured to deliver at least 250 kW.
 5. The emitter system of claim 1,further comprising a power interrupting mechanism and a positioningsystem.
 6. The emitter system of claim 1, further comprising a powerdistribution device disposed on at least part of the one or more emitterpanels and on at least part of the frame, wherein the power distributiondevice comprises one or more circuit breakers or other powerinterrupting mechanisms.
 7. The emitter system of claim 1, wherein thesystem is sized so as to irradiate a standard lane width of asphaltpavement in a single pass.
 8. The emitter system of claim 1, whereineach emitter panel is in a shape of a square or a rectangle havingdimensions of approximately 12 inches by approximately 24 inches, andwherein the emitter panels are arranged in an array wherein each emitterpanel abuts an adjacent emitter panel, and wherein each emitter panel isconnected in parallel or in serial with other emitter panels.
 9. Theemitter system of claim 8, wherein the array is approximately 12 feetwide, 8 feet long, and approximately 2 feet high.
 10. The emitter systemof claim 8, further comprising a vehicle configured to pull the arrayand the power source over an asphalt pavement.
 11. A method forrepairing an asphalt pavement, comprising: passing the emitter system ofclaim 1 over an asphalt pavement in need of repair, wherein the emittersystem radiates terahertz energy into the asphalt pavement to a depth ofat least 2 inches, wherein a temperature differential throughout a toptwo inches of the asphalt pavement is 100° F. or less, wherein a highesttemperature in the top two inches of the asphalt pavement does notexceed 300° F., and wherein a minimum temperature in the top two inchesof the asphalt pavement is at least 200° F., whereby voids andinterstices in the asphalt pavement are disturbed withoutdehydrogenation of the asphalt in the asphalt pavement, and wherebyoligomers present in the asphalt of the asphalt pavement are linkedtogether into longer polymer chains, whereby ductility of the asphalt isimproved.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the asphalt pavement isdamaged asphalt pavement, the method further comprising, before passingan emitter over the asphalt: preparing a surface of the damaged asphaltpavement comprising aged asphalt by filling in deviations from a uniformsurface plane with dry aggregate and compacting the dry aggregate; andapplying a reactive asphalt emulsion to the prepared surface, wherebythe reactive emulsion penetrates into cracks and crevices in the damagedasphalt pavement and into areas filled with the dry aggregate, whereinthe reactive asphalt emulsion comprises butyl rubber, a diene modifiedasphalt, and an environmentally hardened bioresin, and wherein thereactive asphalt emulsion contains less than 1% perflurocarbons asvolatile components.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingremoving road reflectors, thermoplastic imprinting, and safety devicesby mechanically removing prior to filling in deviations.
 14. The methodof claim 12, wherein the reactive asphalt emulsion further comprises a10,000 to 100,000 molecular weight grafted or ungrafted polyisobutyleneand a 10,000 to 100,000 molecular weight grafted or ungraftedstyrene-butadiene-styrene.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the dryaggregate is pre-coated with an elastomeric composition, and wherein thereactive asphalt emulsion is at least partially cured so as to yielddry, free-flowing coated asphalt.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein atemperature differential throughout a top two inches of asphalt pavementis 100° F. or less.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the terahertzenergy comprises wavelengths of from 1 nm to 5 mm.
 18. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the terahertz energy comprises wavelengths of from 2nm to 5 mm.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein the oligomers possess2-150 repeating units.
 20. The method of claim 12, further comprising,after passing the emitter system over the asphalt: allowing the pavementto cool to below 240° F.; and applying a compacting roller to theasphalt pavement to minimize voids and surface irregularities, whereinthe asphalt is at a temperature no lower than 150° F., whereby a densityof the compacted asphalt pavement is similar to that of virgin asphaltpavement.